Windermere police search for man accused of ripping off elderly

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Windermere police are searching for a man they said is preying on the elderly.

A warrant has been issued for Jeremiah Hutto.

Police said he’s scammed elderly people all over West Orange County by promising work, but never following through.

“He certainly understands that we do have some old folks in this community, and I think he’s really targeting those kinds of people, and he’s scamming those folks,” said Chief Dave Ogden with the Windermere Police Department.

Police said Hutto’s latest victim was an 81-year-old woman, who he charged $200 to remove moss from her citrus trees.

“He never came back, and the money never came back either,” said the woman’s husband, who did not want to be identified.

Windermere police believe he’s targeted other people in the town.

“We’re looking for victims. Anybody who’s had this happen to them. We’d like to at least review the case to see if something criminal occurred or if it’s a civil matter,” said Detective John Allen.

Detectives are also working with police in nearby Oakland, where one victim lost $600 after Hutto and Tyler Green allegedly agreed to do property clearing and cleaning.

“I’m very unhappy about it and he’s possibly, probably, still performing his shenanigans on other people,” said a victim’s husband.

Court records show Hutto has been arrested many times over the years in Lake and Orange counties on charges of theft and burglary.

WFTV