DEPUTIES: Man wanted in Beaufort County money scam now in custody

BEAUFORT COUNTY, N.C. (WITN) - Deputies in one Eastern Carolina county say there could be more victims in a scam where someone is impersonating an employee of a utility company.

Earlier Tuesday Beaufort County deputies said they were looking for 49-year-old Jason Schutt, of Washington for three counts of felony obtaining property by false pretense.

Deputies say he is now in custody and was arrested in Bridgeton by the police there.

Prior to Schutt’s arrest, Major Jeremy Hewitt described him as a “sneaky individual.”

“He’s a skimmer,” Hewitt said. “He’s going to be creative in whatever ways he can be, to try to get people out of money.”

He is behind bars on a $40,000 bond.

Hewitt says Schutt made up circumstantial situations to trick people into giving him money. Several people who say they’ve fallen victim, even took their concerns with Schutt’s actions to Facebook.

“Offered if they gave him their information that he’d pay them back through Cashapp or Venmo.”

Deputies say Schutt often sold himself as a Tidewater Energy employee, but for now, he’s just one less person, Hewitt says, out there committing scams.

“Scams is an ongoing thing, especially with our elderly population,” Hewitt said. “There’s those phone calls that go out saying you’ve won the lottery or a vehicle.”

They say their investigation is ongoing and additional charges are expected.

If you believe you have been a victim of Schutt, you should call your local law enforcement agency.

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