HAWTHORNE, Fla. – James Ray Crawford, 66, is accused of taking collectible coins worth more than $25,000 from the estate of a friend’s father and pawning them.
According to an Alachua County Sheriff’s Deputy, estate representatives said the deceased man owned a coin collection valued at more than $1 million. They told investigators that Crawford had access to the home, knew about the collection and was aware of where the coins were kept.
The missing coins were discovered during an inventory of the estate’s assets. Investigators found no evidence of a break-in, and the representatives said only they and Crawford had access to the residence at the time.
The deputy determined that Crawford had pawned several collectible coins. He reportedly provided identification and claimed the coins belonged to him. Descriptions of the items matched those reported missing from the estate.
During a controlled phone call arranged by the deputy, Crawford allegedly denied knowing anything about the coins and denied taking them.
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Records reportedly show that Crawford received $21,610 for the coins, which were estimated to have a market value of $25,362.
Crawford faces charges of grand theft from a dwelling, dealing in stolen property, conducting a fraudulent pawn transaction involving more than $300, and participating in a scheme to defraud exceeding $20,000. His criminal history was unavailable because he posted $375,000 bail before his First Appearance.