Shelander family warns of social media scams
Orange resident Putnam Darwin Richardson has been arrested and charged with the kidnapping of longtime local attorney Mel Shelander on July 15.
Richardson, 79, stood before Judge Zack Hawthorn on June 18 for his initial appearance. He claimed indigence and was issued court-appointed attorney Tom Berg.
According to the Shelander family, the attorney is home safe as of yesterday afternoon, and they are now facing an unfortunate situation with social media scammers attempting to fraudulently benefit from their family’s misfortune.
“We are also aware that some bad actors may have seized upon this incident in an attempt to scam members of our community via false social media posts. Please be assured that Mel is home safe, Cathy’s father is not moving to a care facility, and we are not requesting any sort of financial assistance,” said the Shelanders, in their statement to the media.
The Shelander family issued the following public statement:
“The entire Shelander family shares a heartfelt thanks to the FBI Beaumont Resident Agency and agents that traveled in from Houston and other areas, the Beaumont Police Department, the Orange Police Department, and the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office for their tireless efforts in rescuing Mel yesterday afternoon after his kidnapping on Monday morning. Their quick response, dedication, and investigative expertise brought Mel home safely. We cannot thank them enough for the professionalism and compassion they displayed over the past few days.
If our family has learned one thing from this ordeal, it is to ask for help from law enforcement as soon as possible— there is no doubt in our minds that the FBI’s quick response alongside their local police partners saved Mel’s life. We are also aware that some bad actors may have seized upon this incident in an attempt to scam members of our community via false social media posts. Please be assured that Mel is home safe, Cathy’s father is not moving to a care facility, and we are not requesting any sort of financial assistance.
Due to the ongoing nature of the federal prosecution, we are unable to provide any further details or comments at this time. We also kindly ask for privacy as our family recovers from this difficult incident. We deeply appreciate all the support we received from family, friends, and our entire community.
Thank you, The Shelander Family”
According to public record, Richardson was charged with the aggravated kidnapping of Kathleen Ann Bosca, for which his appeal was denied in 1985.