KANSAS CITY, KANSAS. – A 35-year-old Kansas City, Mo., woman and a co-defendant have been sentenced to federal prison for running an adoption scam in which she pretended to be pregnant with twins and willing to let them be adopted in return for money and gifts.
Roxanne Janel Jones was sentenced to 87-months after she pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and mail fraud, and one count of aggravated identity theft.
29-year-old Taj A. Isaiah, also of Kansas City, Mo., was sentenced to 24-months. He pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and mail fraud.
In her plea, Jones admitted she contacted adoption agencies, claimed to be pregnant and sought to meet couples who wanted to adopt. Jones asked the couples for money for rent and other living expenses.
In her plea, Jones admitted she swindled 14-couples. The couples were from Bonner Springs, Overland Park, Florence, Olathe, Shawnee and Leavenworth, as well as Minnesota, Georgia, California, Tennessee and Massachusetts.
Isaiah sometimes assisted her by pretending to be her landlord. He picked up money orders and wire transfers from prospective adoptive families and he made false statements to the couples.
The victims included the following:
R.S. and L.S., who lived in Minnesota. Jones falsely told them she
was pregnant with twins and wanted to place them up for adoption. In June
2009 they wired $16,265 to an escrow account to be used for Jones’ care
during the pregnancy. Jones received $2,400 in gift cards and rent money
from the couple.
K.M. and J.M., who lived in Georgia.
M.J. and D.W., a couple who lived in California. They flew to Kansas
to meet Jones and Isaiah. They bought Jones massages, a haircut, groceries
and meals. In September, 2009, Jones sent them a text message saying she
had given birth at KU Medical Center. The couple met Jones and Isaiah in the
hospital cafeteria before sending the couple to the hospital nursery to pick up
the babies. At the nursery, the couple were told there was no record of Jones
giving birth.
J.B. and her husband, who lived in Bonner Springs. Jones contacted
them after they placed an advertisement on Craigslist in hopes of putting their
dog up for adoption. Jones adopted their dog and then told them she was
pregnant with twins and wanted to give them up for adoption. The couple met
with an attorney and a social worker in preparation for the adoption. Jones
balked at giving them her Social Security number until they insisted. She
shouted the number at them and they wrote it down. A check of the number
showed it belong to Jones’ son. The couple sent 11 e-Money Grams to Jones
totaling $830.
Jes. B and Jer. B. of Knoxville, Tenn. The couple traveled to Kansas
City where they took Jones and Isaiah to dinner. Isaiah pretended to be her
landlord. The couple wrote checks to Isaiah to pay Jones’ rent.
Ji. B. and Je. B., who sent checks to Isaiah to pay Jones’ rent.
R.P. and A.P., who lived in Olathe. They bought Jones $100 worth of
groceries.
C.D. and D.D., who lived in Minnesota. Jones met them by
responding to an online advertisement.
S.W. and R.W., who lived in Shawnee. They took Jones and Isaiah to
lunch. They gave Jones a $200 gift card and a check for $525.
E.E. and M.E., who lived in Leavenworth. They gave $1,000 to an
adoption agency in Overland Park. The agency gave $500 to Jones.
D.K. and R.G., who lived in Massachusetts. An adoption specialist
for an adoption agency in Overland Park gave Jones a $200 Wal-mart gift
card and a check for $550, both of which were paid for by the couple.
H.G. and M.G., who lived in California. Jones sent them photos of
two newborn babies who she claimed were her children.
C.R. and M.R., who wired $650 to Jones to pay her rent.
K.S. and T.S., who lived in Florence, Kan., They visited Jones while
she was incarcerated at the New Century Jail in Johnson County, Kan., and
then used a debit card to put $50 on her jail commissary account.
The Overland Park Police Department and the U.S. Secret Service investigated.