Fraud suspect’s whereabouts are mystery
Court issues arrest warrant for Tyler Joshua Depow, 33, formerly of Rusagonis, on outstanding charges; until recently, he'd been listed by police as missing person
A lawyer for a former Rusagonis resident accused of counterfeit-cash and fraud offences told court Thursday he’s never met his client and has been unable to find him.
Tyler Joshua Depow, 33, of no fixed address but formerly of Rusagonis, was scheduled to appear in Fredericton provincial court Thursday to answer to several charges.
He’s accused of defrauding Carevo Auto Solutions of Dartmouth, N.S., of a 2020 Subaru WRX, obtaining that car under false pretences with intent to defraud and fraudulently personating Cecil Mitchell to obtain the car, all on March 15.
While the business is based in Nova Scotia, the charges allege events in Fredericton.
Depow is also accused of possessing three counterfeit $50 US bills and two $20 US bills, using those bogus bills as if they were legitimate, and breaching a probation order, all on July 19 in Oromocto.
Ben Reentovich, a staff lawyer with Legal Aid New Brunswick, told court Thursday he’d been assigned to represent Depow, but there was a problem: he hasn’t been able to find his client.
He said he was told Depow was in custody at the Saint John Regional Correctional Centre, and he contacted the jail to speak with him.
“He’s not there,” Reentovich said.
“He was released on Nov. 23 on conditions,” Judge Lucie Mathurin said as she reviewed endorsements on the court file.
“Have you met him?”
“I haven’t,” the defence lawyer said.
At the request of prosecutor Matthew Paik, the judge ordered a warrant for Depow’s arrest.
This isn’t the first time Depow’s whereabouts was an issue for authorities.
The RCMP reported early this year that he’d been reported as missing to police. In a news release issued Feb. 22, the Mounties said Depow hadn’t been seen since Dec. 11, 2022, and last spoke with family members Dec. 27.
That news release stated Depow drives a black Jeep Patriot with New Brunswick licence plate GVE 589.
Months later, on Nov. 17, the RCMP followed up and reported that Depow had been found.
That coincided with his arrest on the outstanding charges.
Don MacPherson can be contacted at ftonindependent@gmail.com.
Wow. Heck of a write up