Concord, NH – Attorney General John M. Formella announces that Starlyn Javier Lara Pimental, age 27, of Roxbury, MA, was sentenced on February 8, 2022 for his role in perpetrating Grandparent scams targeting elderly adult victims.

On November 4, 2020, Mr. Pimental was arrested by the Keene Police Department attempting to pick up $32,000 in cash from an elderly victim in furtherance of a Grandparent scam. The day before the arrest, one of Mr. Pimental’s coconspirators called and falsely told the victim that the victim’s grandchild was in a motor vehicle accident that resulted in the death of another. The coconspirator told the victim that the victim needed to pay compensation in the amount of $32,000 cash.

Following Mr. Pimental’s arrest, further investigation revealed that on October 29, 2020, Mr. Pimental obtained $18,000 in cash from an elderly victim in Nashua, New Hampshire in furtherance of another Grandparent scam. In that case, a coconspirator called and falsely told the victim that the victim’s grandchild was in a motor vehicle accident, was arrested, and the victim would need to pay $18,000 in cash for the grandchild’s release.

On August 6, 2021, Mr. Pimental pleaded guilty to one class A felony count of theft by deception and one class A felony count of attempted theft by deception for his role in both Grandparent scams.

The Cheshire County Superior Court sentenced Mr. Pimental to serve 2 to 5 years in the New Hampshire State Prison, stand committed, on the theft by deception conviction. In addition, he was ordered to pay $10,000 in restitution to the Nashua victim. Mr. Pimental previously paid $8,000 in restitution prior to his sentencing. On the attempted theft by deception conviction, the Court sentenced Mr. Pimental to 2 to 5 years in the New Hampshire State Prison, all of which is suspended for 15 years. The suspended sentence is conditioned upon Mr. Pimental’s good behavior. As a condition of both sentences, Mr. Pimental is to have no contact with the victims and shall not trespass on their property.

Investigator Calice Couchman-Ducey of the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection and Antitrust Bureau jointly investigated these cases with the Keene and Nashua Police Departments.

Senior Assistant Attorney General Bryan J. Townsend, II, of the Attorney General’s Elder Abuse and Financial Exploitation Unit prosecuted the cases, with assistance from the Cheshire County Attorney’s Office.

If you or someone you know has been the victim of elder abuse or financial exploitation, please contact your local police department and the Department of Health and Human Services, Bureau of Elderly and Adult Services (1-800-949-0470).