Tacoma's 'Integrity Construction' steps forward to help Navy veteran scammed out of thousands
SEATAC, Wash. -- Less than 24 hours after Larry’s Aycock’s story aired on Q13 FOX News, one of two suspects accused of scamming the retired Navy veteran out of $3,700 is in custody.
Aycock hired them to dig up some old tree roots and smooth out the pavement on his driveway.
SeaTac Police knew the suspects were driving an old Pape’ Machinery truck purchased in Eastern Washington.
“A truck driver was at a motel in Fife, saw the truck the suspect was driving. All the decals had been removed and the truck driver recognized the license plate, recognized the decals had been removed and called Fife PD,” said SeaTac Chief Lisa Mulligan.
The tipster told officers, ‘You don’t mess with a Navy man.’
Chief Mulligan says the suspect was standing outside the truck police arrived.
“They used a finger print scanner to get his real identity,” she said.
Larry told police the man claimed his name was Pedro Rios.” Turns out, it’s actually Steve Ephram. He was wanted in Utah for fraud.
Police are still searching for the woman seen on video at a bank with Ephram cashing Larry’s check. Her name is Tina George.
“I think it’s pitiful that people would take advantage of our seniors in our community and much less being a veteran, we appreciate your service,” said Josh Harris with Integrity Construction.
After he saw Larry’s story, he quickly offered t do the $10,000 in repairs for free.
“Be a couple days where we’ll jack hammer this all up. Rip it up, haul it off out of here. Form it up and then we’ll pour the concrete,” said Harris.
His crew is currently working on a church but plans to start construction at Larry’s home on Aug. 10th.
“Home Depot sponsors our non-profit side of our construction company where we help with projects so home depot and we’re gonna try to get one of our concrete vendors to help out a little bit,” said Harris.
Larry is looking forward to that day and feeling blessed.
“I’m just overwhelmed. I really am,” he said after giving Harris a hug who plans to take the widower to a Tacoma Rainiers baseball game.
Larry was married for 52 years but lost his beloved Kay four years ago on Easter Sunday. He got rid of all the things in the house that reminded him of her because it was just too painful so Harris and his crew are also bringing Larry a new couch.
Meanwhile, SeaTac police are encouraging any other victims to come forward.
“This is not the first place this is happened. It’s probably happened here again in SeaTac. If this has happened to anyone in the public, we ask that they come forward, call 911 or the SeaTac police department directly and we’ll come out and talk to them and get started on figuring out how to unwind that case,” said Chief Mulligan.
Tina George
If you have any information on the whereabouts of Tina George, Crime Stoppers will pay you a cash reward of up to $1,000. Call the hotline at 1-800-222-8477.