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Man poses as Twins player; tries to buy million-dollar home
Her?n M?rquez Estrada, Star Tribune
http://www.startribune.com/stories/1557/3719239.html
Published Feb. 26, 2003 LIAR26
As a baseball fan, Robert Griggs admits he was a little excited when his Realtor told him that one of the newest members of the Minnesota Twins wanted to buy his million-dollar home before heading for spring training.
Griggs has been so busy trying to sell the six-bedroom, seven-bath house in Inver Grove Heights (listed for $1.495 million) that he figured he must have missed the news stories about Dewitt Alonzo Davison signing a $17 million contract with the Twins.
The news apparently escaped the notice of the Twins as well because they told Griggs' Realtor that the team had no one by that name under contract, and certainly had not paid the 21-year-old man $17 million.
Griggs said Tuesday that while he and the Realtor were concerned, they figured that the team has so many people coming and going through its Fort Myers, Fla., spring training facility that maybe there was some confusion and the deal still might go through. Those hopes died when Griggs and the Realtor got a look at Davison's supposed contract and a copy of a letter ostensibly sent by the Twins to a bank reportedly confirming Davison's status and finances.
"It was full of misspellings and grammatical errors," said Mark Naylon of the Ramsey County Sheriff's Office, which arrested Davison two weeks ago for being a military deserter. "It wasn't even on Twins letterhead."
Davison admitted Tuesday night that he misrepresented himself, but that it was all an attempt to impress his fianc?e and her family. He said he never intended to scam anybody, steal anything or buy any luxury items.
"It was a stupid little joke that went too far," Davison said. "I guess I was trying to impress some people."
Although Davison did not commit any crimes through his real-estate actions, sheriff's investigators were so concerned that they issued warnings this month to real-estate agents and police departments about people posing as professional athletes, Naylon said.
Davison was arrested Feb. 13 in Eagan at the home of an acquaintance. He was held in the Ramsey County jail until Feb. 18 because there was a warrant for his arrest from the Navy for leaving his ship in Virginia months ago.
Davison said that he talked to Navy officials Tuesday and that he would be going to Illinois this week to take care of the desertion charge. He said he left his ship "a couple of months ago" for undisclosed reasons.
He also said that the situation was complicated and that he could not say more because he might get in trouble for disclosing military secrets. He said he expected to be processed out of the Navy and would return to the Twin Cities area within weeks.
Suspicions
Davison looked at several high-priced homes in the past month in Inver Grove Heights, Burnsville, Rosemount and Minnetonka. He also took tours of several car dealerships as he ostensibly shopped for a home and a ride worthy of a young millionaire, Naylon said.
Sheriff's investigators, however, were alarmed about the situation when they discovered that some of the men Davison reportedly was hanging out with had criminal and prison records for armed robbery, burglary and narcotics convictions, Naylon said.
But Davison balked at that. "I don't know anybody with a criminal record," he said. The Sheriff's Office took the threat seriously enough, Naylon said, that warnings about the potential scam were sent out this month to area real-estate agents and police departments.
Naylon said investigators also would like to talk to the real-estate agent helping Davison to see what, if anything, he knew about the situation.
But the agent apparently left the country two days before Davison was arrested. Naylon said Tuesday that the agent has not returned.
Davison said he did not know anything about his real-estate agent leaving.
Offer never came
Davison engaged his real-estate agent in late January and had him approach Griggs' agent about the home.
"He looked like a player, he looked fit," said Griggs, who met Davison briefly at the first showing Jan. 25.
Davison came back in early February for another look, this time with a woman and children, Griggs said. Davison's real-estate agent then called Griggs' agent to say his client was going to make an offer.
In fact, Davison talked about paying cash for the home because he apparently did not have time for escrow because he had to head down to Florida for spring training, investigators said.
"It all happened very quickly," said Griggs, who knows Naylon and called him to voice his concerns about the transaction.
The offer for the home kept getting delayed and ultimately never arrived. Instead, Griggs said, his agent was sent the phony letter stating that Davison was with the Twins and that he had the ability to pay the $50,000 earnest money and buy the house.
"I'm glad that this guy was stupid enough to tip his hand by sending that stupid, poorly written letter," Griggs said. "The investigators did a great job. They saved my family a lot of potential pain."
Davison said Tuesday night that he sent the letter because once he had started his boasting, he had to back it up.
"I just wanted to make it look like I was going to be playing for the Twins and I had to follow up on it," Davison said. "It was just something I never should have done."
Her?n M?rquez Estrada, Star Tribune
http://www.startribune.com/stories/1557/3719239.html
Published Feb. 26, 2003 LIAR26
As a baseball fan, Robert Griggs admits he was a little excited when his Realtor told him that one of the newest members of the Minnesota Twins wanted to buy his million-dollar home before heading for spring training.
Griggs has been so busy trying to sell the six-bedroom, seven-bath house in Inver Grove Heights (listed for $1.495 million) that he figured he must have missed the news stories about Dewitt Alonzo Davison signing a $17 million contract with the Twins.
The news apparently escaped the notice of the Twins as well because they told Griggs' Realtor that the team had no one by that name under contract, and certainly had not paid the 21-year-old man $17 million.
Griggs said Tuesday that while he and the Realtor were concerned, they figured that the team has so many people coming and going through its Fort Myers, Fla., spring training facility that maybe there was some confusion and the deal still might go through. Those hopes died when Griggs and the Realtor got a look at Davison's supposed contract and a copy of a letter ostensibly sent by the Twins to a bank reportedly confirming Davison's status and finances.
"It was full of misspellings and grammatical errors," said Mark Naylon of the Ramsey County Sheriff's Office, which arrested Davison two weeks ago for being a military deserter. "It wasn't even on Twins letterhead."
Davison admitted Tuesday night that he misrepresented himself, but that it was all an attempt to impress his fianc?e and her family. He said he never intended to scam anybody, steal anything or buy any luxury items.
"It was a stupid little joke that went too far," Davison said. "I guess I was trying to impress some people."
Although Davison did not commit any crimes through his real-estate actions, sheriff's investigators were so concerned that they issued warnings this month to real-estate agents and police departments about people posing as professional athletes, Naylon said.
Davison was arrested Feb. 13 in Eagan at the home of an acquaintance. He was held in the Ramsey County jail until Feb. 18 because there was a warrant for his arrest from the Navy for leaving his ship in Virginia months ago.
Davison said that he talked to Navy officials Tuesday and that he would be going to Illinois this week to take care of the desertion charge. He said he left his ship "a couple of months ago" for undisclosed reasons.
He also said that the situation was complicated and that he could not say more because he might get in trouble for disclosing military secrets. He said he expected to be processed out of the Navy and would return to the Twin Cities area within weeks.
Suspicions
Davison looked at several high-priced homes in the past month in Inver Grove Heights, Burnsville, Rosemount and Minnetonka. He also took tours of several car dealerships as he ostensibly shopped for a home and a ride worthy of a young millionaire, Naylon said.
Sheriff's investigators, however, were alarmed about the situation when they discovered that some of the men Davison reportedly was hanging out with had criminal and prison records for armed robbery, burglary and narcotics convictions, Naylon said.
But Davison balked at that. "I don't know anybody with a criminal record," he said. The Sheriff's Office took the threat seriously enough, Naylon said, that warnings about the potential scam were sent out this month to area real-estate agents and police departments.
Naylon said investigators also would like to talk to the real-estate agent helping Davison to see what, if anything, he knew about the situation.
But the agent apparently left the country two days before Davison was arrested. Naylon said Tuesday that the agent has not returned.
Davison said he did not know anything about his real-estate agent leaving.
Offer never came
Davison engaged his real-estate agent in late January and had him approach Griggs' agent about the home.
"He looked like a player, he looked fit," said Griggs, who met Davison briefly at the first showing Jan. 25.
Davison came back in early February for another look, this time with a woman and children, Griggs said. Davison's real-estate agent then called Griggs' agent to say his client was going to make an offer.
In fact, Davison talked about paying cash for the home because he apparently did not have time for escrow because he had to head down to Florida for spring training, investigators said.
"It all happened very quickly," said Griggs, who knows Naylon and called him to voice his concerns about the transaction.
The offer for the home kept getting delayed and ultimately never arrived. Instead, Griggs said, his agent was sent the phony letter stating that Davison was with the Twins and that he had the ability to pay the $50,000 earnest money and buy the house.
"I'm glad that this guy was stupid enough to tip his hand by sending that stupid, poorly written letter," Griggs said. "The investigators did a great job. They saved my family a lot of potential pain."
Davison said Tuesday night that he sent the letter because once he had started his boasting, he had to back it up.
"I just wanted to make it look like I was going to be playing for the Twins and I had to follow up on it," Davison said. "It was just something I never should have done."
