Joseph Earl Steward; phony cop solicits for WWP donations in OH

Preston sends us a link to an article about Joseph Earl Steward who is wandering around neighborhoods in central Ohio claiming that he’s collecting for the Wounded Warrior Project, according to the Columbus Dispatch;

Officials with the Wounded Warrior Project, which provides services to injured military members as they transition to civilian life, said they have no record of Steward working for the organization and have received no money from him. The project also noted that it does not solicit door-to-door.

Fraud detectives said Steward gave receipts to donors and had records of more than 300 donors who gave money. Most donations were $10 to $20, but there also were checks of up to $500. Steward provided donors with a fake tax ID number taken off a fraudulent form.

“These are good-hearted people who thought they were donating to the Wounded Warrior Project,” said Columbus Police Sgt. Keith Kline. Police say that Steward collected at least several thousand dollars.

Central Ohio’s TV10 reports that he’s also pretending to be a police officer and that he’s wanted on several warrants;

Police say they believe Joseph Steward, who also is known as Joseph Earl Steward or Charles Steward, has been identifying himself as an officer and asking for cash donations for the Wounded Warrior Project.

Joseph, 45, also is wanted on several warrants through the Columbus Division of Police and the Madison County Sheriff’s Office.

He is wanted for identity theft out of the City of Columbus.

Carryout owner Fady Abuayyash told 10TV News on Monday that Steward came to his store on Oct. 3 and claimed he was a sheriff’s deputy.

A Google search turns up several arrests and mug shots for Steward over the last several years.

Category: Crime