Accused roof scammer arrested after trying to target same woman again in Oak Ridge North, police say

OAK RIDGE NORTH, Texas (KTRK) -- An accused scammer who police say swindled thousands of dollars from an older woman two years ago is back in jail after he allegedly tried to target her again.

A man known to have many aliases was arrested after authorities say he tried to scam Clara Mortenson in the Montgomery County city of Oak Ridge North.

Investigators believe the man is named Lance Boswell, but have pulled records and found him to be a seasoned criminal in at least 10 states with dates of birth and social security numbers that he uses.

In 2019, authorities say that Boswell offered to blow leaves off Mortenson's roof for $30. She agreed, but then he came back with another offer, claiming that she needed roof repairs.

Mortenson paid $2,500 for repairs she didn't need.

So when Boswell came knocking again, this time Mortenson recognized him.

"The minute I saw his face to my big window here, I said, 'I know who that is,'" Mortenson told ABC13.

Mortenson admitted that at the time of the scam two years ago, she was in a vulnerable state because her husband, a retired police officer, was dying.

This time when Mortenson turned Boswell away, police say he targeted another woman down the road with the same story: offering to blow the leaves off of her roof. That's where officers caught him.

Investigators are working to determine if the suspect's name is really even Lance Boswell. They said his actual name may be Derick Shuman.

Whoever he is, Mortenson had a message for all scammers.

"Women are getting stronger by the day, and somebody's gonna shoot you all one day," she said.

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