Baxter County authorities have arrested six individuals in connection with an alleged scam operating between Mountain Home and Hardy, Arkansas, Sheriff John Montgomery confirmed Thursday.
The investigation, conducted in partnership with Triology Media, Inc., an organization dedicated to exposing scams through video surveillance and recording, began when law enforcement learned of an alleged "money mule" traveling from Hardy to Mountain Home. The individual, identified as Patti Lynn Dunlap, 73, of Hardy, reportedly planned to collect $45,000 in cash from an undercover operation involving a decoy posing as an elderly man, authorities said.
According to officials, the staged cash exchange occurred at a grocery store parking lot in Mountain Home, after which a traffic stop was initiated along Highway 62/412 East. Dunlap was detained and allegedly informed investigators that she had agreed to keep $10,000 of the cash as payment for her role in the pickup.
Dunlap is charged with felony theft of property and is being held in the Baxter County Detention Center on a $50,000 cash bond.
The day after Dunlap’s arrest, two additional suspects were apprehended. Jinbu Lin, 47, and Jiaming Yu, 34, both from Brooklyn, New York, were taken into custody after arriving at a predetermined location as part of the ongoing investigation. Authorities report that the two men were found carrying $4,000 in cash, a quantity of methamphetamine, and other controlled substances. Their charges include drug-related offenses.
The remaining individuals arrested in connection with the case were identified as Christopher Dyson, 44, of Gassville; Brady Dale Terry, 40, of rural Mountain Home; and Travis Lewis Dollins, 29, of Yellville. Specific details regarding their roles in the scam have not been disclosed, but authorities confirmed their arrests as part of the same investigation.
Sheriff Montgomery credited the Mountain Home Police Department and the Sharp and Carroll County Sheriff’s Offices for their assistance in the case. Investigations are ongoing, and no further details have been released.
The arrests underscore the increasingly sophisticated methods used to target elderly victims in scams and highlight the importance of vigilance when dealing with unsolicited financial requests. Authorities urge anyone who suspects they may be the target of fraud to contact law enforcement immediately.