Illegal soliciting in Mansfield arrests
Door-to-door solicitors arrested in Mansfield Township
Pamela Sroka-Holzmann | For lehighvalleylive.com By Pamela Sroka-Holzmann | For lehighvalleylive.com
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on August 22, 2016 at 5:18 PM, updated August 22, 2016 at 5:30 PM
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Eight people were arrested and charged with illegal soliciting of various items throughout Mansfield Township.
The group dispersed throughout various township housing developments going door-to-door and soliciting offers, ranging from vacations to magazine subscriptions.
Police found them in the Kensington housing development at 3:53 p.m. Aug. 10. None had a permit to solicit in the township, according to police.
The following eight people were arrested:
Amber N. Johnson, 25, of Paducah, Kentucky; Arabella D. Dively, 19, of Huntsville, Ala.; Tammy M. Hanson, 20, of Huntsville, Ala.; Sanchez T. Jackson, 25, of Huntsville, Ala; David W. Halversen, 32, of Odessa, Texas; Auston T. Hale, 22, of Decatur, Ala.; Decan D. Coleman, 18, of Priceville, Ala.; and Andrew R. Thompson, 24, of Huntsville, Ala.
Thompson also was wanted on two warrants totaling $425 and posted bail, police said. All charged were released pending court appearances.
Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @pamholzmann. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
stressed out 
Calico696 Maybe linked to a congregation or school? Many religious organizations and schools used to sell magazine subscriptions door to door.
iRun I read that to mean they were all released without bail except for the one with outstanding warrants. They'll be back in Huntsville long before their court date, lol. The economy must REALLY suck down there if they're trying to sell magazines in Mansfield.
ianimal How the Scam Works:
You answer your door, and it's someone selling magazine subscriptions. The seller may claim that he/she is raising money for a school or charity. The subscription prices seem steep. In fact, they are typically three times the typical price. However, the money goes to a good cause, so you purchase one anyway. Months pass, and your magazine never arrives. Turns out the magazine fundraiser is totally fake!
CraftBeerBob ianimal - Even the one with the warrants made the bail. The soliciting permit is only a local ordinance, not a state law. There's a ridiculously low limit to the fine which is why bail probably wasn't even needed in the other cases. Even if they needed bail, the cash they gather would pay quickly. They won't be back in Huntsville, they'll be in Parsippany, or White Plains, or Pittsburgh or somewhere else within 24 hrs. There's no way those groups are stopped by a quick arrest and release.
CraftBeerBob - That's not always true, some do actually get subscriptions. It's just the company wants $50 for a $12 subscription, and the kids have caught on by now so are asking for $100 and pocket the money if they can hide if from the leaders. (or they cut the leaders in and they're scamming the company too)
There are any number of horror stories to these traveling gangs. Both the companies that promise them quick money then send them far away, charge them big $ for food & hotel, and give them little for their sales. The kids are not always so clean either, sometimes they're on the run, even gang members, and know a thing or two about squeezing money out of people. Sometimes they come back after hours and rob the people, sometimes they are let inside the house and steal. You just never know, but at least it did look like this group didn't have a host of priors with the exception of one guy that only had some minor tickets. Lots of victims out there.
GC Two guys from this group came to my elderly parent's home two weeks ago. I was visiting when they arrived. They were VERY pushy and nosy asking too many questions about myself and family. Unfortunately, I purchased a magazine subscription as a donation to a Children's charity of my choice, just to get rid of them!
Did some research after the fact, found out some of these groups are scam artists. I cancelled the check immediately. Hopefully, the arrests will deter them from returning to the area.
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