Grants man indicted for allegedly scamming on-line sales company

By Tom Purdom
Staff Writer

GRANTS — A 28-year-old Grants man who allegedly scammed a nationally recognized on-line catalog store out of thousands of dollars of goods is facing time in prison.

Matthew Wright, 27, was indicted by the 13th Judicial District Grand Jury in Cibola County on 21 charges.

According to the indictment, he is charged with one count of fraud involving goods worth more than $2,500, a third-degree felony; seven counts of fraud involving merchandise worth between $250 and $2,500, all fourth-degree felonies; one count of fraud involving merchandise worth more than $100, but less than $250, a misdemeanor; one count of fraud involving merchandise worth less than $100, a petty misdemeanor; one count of transferring stolen property worth more than $2,500, a third degree felony; seven counts of transferring stolen property worth between $250 and $2,500; one count of transferring stolen property worth between $100 and $250, a misdemeanor; and one count of transferring stolen property worth less than $100, a petty misdemeanor.

A third-degree felony is punishable by a prison term up to three years and/or a $5,000 fine; a fourth-degree felony is punishable by a prison term of up to 18 months and/or a $5,000 fine; a misdemeanor is punishable by a jail term of up to one year and/or a $1,000 fine; a petty misdemeanor can by punished by a jail term of up to six months and/or a $500 fine.

Wright's 21 count indictment could put him behind bars for the next 33 years and cost him up to $96,500 in fines.

Wright is accused of contacting The Sharper Image Co., a mostly on-line catalog store, which does have retail outlets scattered throughout the United States. Virtually thousands of items are sold by Sharper Image, from a machine which cleans eyeglasses by sonic sound to air cleaners, to a $2,000 leather recliner chair which also has a massage mechanism. The Sharper Image advertises on television in a sales pitch for its air cleaning system.

According to the indictment, on June 26, 2003, Wright reportedly pulled the scam and on the same day fenced the alleged stolen property.

Grand jurors also indicted Hiram Peynetsa, 23, of Zuni, on drug charges. Peynetsa was stopped by New Mexico Motor Transportation Officer Pat Salazar on Feb. 8, 2004, when something odd happened.

Peynetsa reportedly had an eighth of an ounce of cocaine in his possession and, according to the indictment, swallowed it when Salazar stopped him. For his trouble, Peynetsa was charged with possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute, tampering with evidence for reportedly swallowing it, and resisting, evading or obstructing and officer when he tried to run.

The possession charge is a third-degree felony, the tampering with evidence charge is a fourth-degree felony and the resisting arrest charge is a misdemeanor. In all Peynetsa faces up to five and one-half years behind bars and/or $11,000 in fines.