Former intern says convicted Orlando con artist still breaking promises

ORLANDO, Fla. — Central Florida residents said a convicted con artist is looking for new talent but promises of fame turned out to be nothing but lies.

One woman said Charles Sanchez promised her a movie career, but she said all she got was the runaround.

She said she quit when she realized things weren't adding up.

Channel 9's Anthony DiLorenzo talked with Sanchez' clients on Monday. He learned Sanchez has a long criminal record and plenty of complaints from people who said he's deceived them.

Channel 9 was told Sanchez most recently tried to further his movie business through a studio in Orlando, but it didn't take long for industry veterans to figure out his sales pitch was way off.

Former employee Laura Spivey said Sanchez is looking for new ways to cash in on broken promises.

"He's doing something and you don't want to be a part of it," she said.

Spivey's dreams of a movie career came crashing down last month. She said she was hired as a paid intern after responding to a Craigslist posting for CRS Films.

"A week after working for him, things just weren't adding up," she said.

Despite giving Sanchez personal information, Spivey said she was never paid, and she and her friend became suspicious, so they dug up Sanchez' checkered past.

"He's a career con artist, but what shocked me is the violence in his past," said photographer Casey Porter.

Channel 9 has been tracking Sanchez since 2004 when he was convicted of fraud.

In 2007, he held a family captive in Osceola County and was convicted of battery.

All told, Sanchez has been arrested 26 times since 1987, including last month for impersonating a cop.

On Monday, when Channel 9 asked Sanchez about his latest enterprise, he refused an interview and ended the phone conversation.

"He's been doing this for such a long time with no signs of stopping," said Porter.

David Mikeal runs an Orlando recording studio and said he was recently approached by Sanchez to hold casting calls, but it never got off the ground.

"In the beginning, I was suspicious," said Mikeal. "Then, when we found out further information, we immediately distanced ourselves."

Channel 9 checked with the Department of Corrections and found Sanchez' only lengthy prison stint was in 1993 for grand theft.

His parole for the battery case in Osceola County was revoked in 2009, and his impersonation charge is still working through the judicial system.

WFTV