MESQUITE, Nev. – A woman who claimed her 7-year-old son had cancer and received aid and funds from the community to help with the boy’s care has been charged with 95 misdemeanor counts of fraud and other offenses.
The Mesquite Police Department said in a statement that Shawnanna Starr Flores Guerro, 36, of Mesquite, had been claiming her son had a malignant liver cancer known as Hepatoblastoma. Money was raised to aid Guerro’s son through a car wash that raised over $400. A fund was established at Wells Fargo Bank and donation jars were also set up at various businesses around Mesquite. Future fundraisers were also planned.
During this time police received credible information that Guerro’s claims of her son’s cancer were fake, according to the Department’s statement. An investigation was launched which resulted in Guerro’s arrest on Friday on under felony charges which have since been replaced with a cavalcade of misdemeanors that include:
- 32 counts of obtaining money, property, rent, or labor by false pretenses
- 32 counts of unlawful acts involving electronic mail or transmission of other data information, images, programs, signals or sounds to computer, system or network
- 29 counts petit larceny
- One count of contributory neglect of a child
- One count of obstructing public officer
The Clark County Child Protective Services worked in cooperation with the Mesquite Police Department during this investigation. Additionally, Child Protective Services is continuing their own investigation into the fraudulent scheme involving the child.
This case is being prosecuted by Mesquite Deputy City Attorney, Bob Sweetin. No additional arrests have been made at this time for other individuals who may have been involved, the investigation is continuing. If anyone has information pertaining to the case, please contact Mesquite Detective, Ron Richmond at 702-346-5262 ex 6032.
Ed. Note: Persons charged are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law or as otherwise decided by a trier-of-fact.
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @MoriKessler
Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2013, all rights reserved.
So sad makes it hard to believe people when they need real help.
shame shame shame. Bad mommy