LIVERPOOL TWP. — The Medina County Sheriff’s Office is looking for a man who allegedly has been scamming people throughout the area since September, including Tuesday in Liverpool.

The Sheriff’s Office reported Lamar Johnson, 31, allegedly has been running a con that involves arranging for the purchase of motorcycles and other vehicles via Craigslist.org and then paying for them with false checks.

On Tuesday, Johnson reportedly arranged to buy a Honda motorcycle from an Abbeyville Road resident. The resident reported Johnson was supposed to come around 7 that night but didn’t arrive until 11 p.m., sheriff’s Detective J. Tadd Davis said.

“They always come late in the evening because that way the banks aren’t open,” Davis said.

Johnson reportedly gave the Liverpool man a check for $6,000 and a copy of his driver’s license, before leaving with the motorcycle.

“To me, this is brazen,” Davis said.

When the Liverpool man went to cash the check the next day, the bank told him it was counterfeit. Davis said the check originally was a certified check for $5, but was altered.

“How they are doing it, I can’t say,” he said. Johnson has several listed addresses throughout Cuyahoga County, some of which Davis said may be false. He has five warrants out for his arrest: one for vehicle theft from Willoughby Hills, two for larceny from the Portage County Sheriff’s Office, one for larceny out of Barberton and one for contempt of court out of Garfield Heights.

“It’s the same song. It’s the same story. It’s the same dance,” Davis said.

He said the Sheriff’s Office is investigating the Liverpool incident and will forward it to the county prosecutor for potential charges.

Davis said Johnson also may have been involved in a suspected scam in North Royalton on Wednesday.

Anyone with information on the case should call Davis at (330) 764-3622.

Contact Maria Kacik at (330) 721-4049 or mkacik@medina-gazette.com.

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