scam

Slowly but surely, Delores Reyes of Rose City has been trying to put her life and household back together after Hurricane Harvey rolled through last year and destroyed everything she spent 80-plus years amassing. But the fact that she has hit rough times hasn’t stopped criminals from targeting her as she begins to rebuild anew.

Among the things Reyes has been able to cobble together since the storm is a stove – although it’s electric, not the usual gas burner model she’s grown accustomed to cooking on over the last several decades.

A 67-year-old Houston man has been sentenced to federal prison for violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston Nov. 2.

It’s been roughly five years since Syam Investments, its owner Shannon Mays and affiliates like Diana Broussard McCoy from Port Arthur were exposed in the pages of this newspaper for bilking hundreds of Southeast Texans out of tens of thousands of dollars. And since then, those who say they were victimized by the group have been waiting for some form of justice.

But now, with the suspected criminal mastermind behind bars, they may at long last get their day in court.

The Jefferson County Sheriff's Office is warning local residents about a phishing scam targeting the area and citing a lawsuit, ironically, involving a fishing and bait company.