Police: Con Man Targeting Real Estate Agents In El Dorado County
EL DORADO COUNTY (CBS13) - A local woman was duped thinking he needed a helping hand, but it turns out Colin Bowers is a wanted fugitive and a known con artist.
"He was clean-cut, he was well spoken, he had good stories," said Nora Mooney who lives in a retirement community.
Mooney said a charming man came through one day saying he was down on his luck.
"He went by the name of Colin Davenport," she said.
But his real name is Colin Bowers and he did everything right to scam Mooney and her husband.
"I probably have too big of a heart, but I shared with him that I would be willing to help him in anyway I can," she added.
Mooney lent Bowers her car for a day and he's been gone now for 11.
"It's concerning to us and it appears to us that he's definitely elevating his criminal behavior," said Dave Stevenson with the El Dorado District Attorney's Office.
Bowers is a known con artist with over 64 arrests for fraud, theft, burglary and domestic violence and there are dozens of victims.
"He has a persona on the outside, but all along he's thinking what can I get from this person and mostly it's about money," Heather Frazier said who is also one of those victims. "He kind of knew all the right things to say."
While Bowers was eventually caught and prosecuted, he was eventually let go by the system, but now allegedly back to his old tricks.
"We prosecute, he gets sentenced, but with legislation like prop 47 and AB109 they're letting these criminals out faster than we can put them in and that's what this is a product of," Stevenson said.
Mooney knows there have been several other victims, but hopes to be the last and wants Colin Bowers caught and locked up for good.
"I try to go to work every day, I try to live my life and the fact that this kind of person can come in my life and throw it up in the air and not give a crap about me or anybody else, I don't give a crap about you," Mooney said.
Investigators said Bowers is known for scamming and luring in female real estate agents and detectives were tipped off that he's been back at it.
If you have information contact your local law enforcement.