The Courtroom

My An Arkie's Faith column from the May 15, 2024, issue of The Polk County Pulse.

A few weeks ago, while reading the Polk County Pulse, I saw a name in the Polk County Sheriff’s Log that piqued my interest. It stated that this person “was arrested by an officer with Probation Parole on a Body Attachment, a Theft of Property Warrant, and a warrant for Violation of Suspended Imposition of Sentence.”

“I need to call the Sheriff’s Office and find out what is happening,” I thought. Since we were leaving for a trip to Colorado, I made a mental note to call when we returned. This person had conned me out of a large sum of money back in 2021. I had a great time in Colorado, visiting family, celebrating Easter, touring Rocky Mountain National Park, and attending my brother-in-law’s ninetieth birthday party.

We stopped at a gas station in Oklahoma on our return to Arkansas. While I was gassing up the Maverick, I checked my phone messages. I had one voicemail. When I pressed play, I heard, “This is the Polk County Sheriff’s Office. I have a couple of subpoenas for you and your wife. If you could give me a call back, I would appreciate it. Thank you.”

“What could this be about?” I wondered. I hoped it had something to do with the con man who had been arrested. I immediately returned the call and learned that his court date had been set. We were subpoenaed to be in court on his trial date in May. I wanted some justice, and even though I wasn’t hopeful, maybe restitution.

In the fall of 2021, this con man bid to put a new roof on my house. We both signed a professionally printed contract form. I gave him money to buy the fifty squares of shingles needed to do the job. He had six squares of shingles delivered to my house and told me that he would start the work in two days. Instead of beginning work, he called and said he had contracted COVID-19. Many people in our community were sick with Covid then, so I didn't see a red flag. After two weeks, I called him to see how he was doing and when work would start on my roof. He would never answer the phone. I called the number of the other roofer, and he wouldn't answer either.

I decided to take my contract and canceled checks to the police department. They immediately knew I had been conned. The con man was well-known by the police, but not by the last name he gave me. He had used an alias in his dealings with me. I was not the first person in town to be scammed. 

This morning, I walked up the steps of the Polk County Courthouse, wondering what would happen in the courtroom. Sitting in the courtroom waiting for the proceedings to begin, I wondered if I would find justice. Was there any chance of recovering the thousands of dollars stolen from me?

When court began, and person after person went before the judge, I was saddened by the stories of lives damaged by breaking the laws of the land. When prison sentences were handed down, I knew those hurt by the lawbreakers felt a sense of justice. But it was still sad for me to realize that even though justice was served, someone had ruined their life by breaking the law.

After over two hours of court cases, the judge called for a break. I took the opportunity to talk to the prosecutor and see if my con man’s case was on the docket. He told me that it was, and the con man had agreed to a plea deal that included a three-year sentence. Because of the plea deal, my presence wasn’t required in court. Even though I felt better seeing that there would be consequences for the con man’s actions, the court-ordered restitution would take over twenty years to pay.

This is a sinful world, and many people can't be trusted. Con men and women are out there, ready to lie to us and rip us off. Lying is popular today. That's because we have believed the devil's lie that truth doesn't matter. Satan has convinced many Christians that there is no such thing as absolute truth, so there can be no absolute lie. The end justifies the means, and there are no lies, just alternative facts. 

That's the big con, and it started in the Garden of Eden. "The serpent was the shrewdest of all the wild animals the Lord God had made. One day he asked the woman, "Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden?" "Of course we may eat fruit from the trees in the garden," the woman replied. "It's only the fruit from the tree in the middle of the garden that we are not allowed to eat. God said, 'You must not eat it or even touch it; if you do, you will die.'" "You won't die!" the serpent replied to the woman. "God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil." Genesis 3:1-5 (NLT)

How can we ensure we don’t become victims of the most extraordinary con man in history? Knowing how the game works and how it takes advantage of our vulnerabilities is half the battle.  “So put away everything that is sordid, all that overflowing malice, and humbly receive the word which has been planted within you and which has the power to rescue your lives.” James 1:21 (NTE) 

Gentle Reader, con men are all around us. But the original con man is the devil. "He was a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies." John 8:44 (NLT) The Bible advises us to "be sober [well balanced and self-disciplined], be alert and cautious at all times. That enemy of yours, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion [fiercely hungry], seeking someone to devour." 1 Peter 5:8 (AMP) Watch out for con men. They want to separate you from your money. But even more, watch out for the original con man, Satan. He wants to separate you from God.