Fishers police arrested a 25-year-old woman from Elwood on multiple felony and misdemeanor charges May 4 following a lengthy investigation into a scam involving alleged fake rental housing.
According to the Fishers Police Department, the investigation started in fall of 2021. The charges allege that Megan Stoner had misrepresented herself as the owner of a Fishers home that she herself was renting at the time.
“The suspect allegedly scammed three victims into signing a lease agreement and giving her money as a deposit and first-month’s rent,” a news release states. “The suspect never provided keys or access to the residence.”
Police issued an arrest warrant on April 26, and Stoner turned herself in to Hamilton County Jail the next day. She faces three counts of Level 6 Felony Fraud, three counts of Level 6 Felony Theft, and misdemeanor fraud and theft charges.
According to the probable cause statement filed with the Hamilton County Court, police learned of the alleged scam when one of the victims called them in December of 2021. He told police that he had posted on social media about looking for a home to rent in Fishers.
The man told police that Stoner responded to his post and offered a home on Morgan Drive. They met at the home and did a walk-through. He signed a lease agreement, and paid $1,800 as the first month’s rent and security deposit. He was supposed to move in on Dec. 7, but never received the key. The man told police that he called Stoner multiple times, and she had various excuses for the delay in giving him the key. She also allegedly refused to amend the lease agreement or refund his deposit.
The police statement said that around the same time, they received two other similar reports from people who had signed agreements to lease the same property. They paid her a total of about $2,300, and neither received a key or were able to move in.
Police report that they talked with the actual owner of the home, who provided a copy of Stoner’s lease agreement. It prohibited her from subleasing the property, and the owner told police that he was trying to evict Stoner.
The probable cause statement details an earlier case involving allegations against Stoner. A woman reportedly had signed a sublease agreement with Stoner for a Fishers apartment in September of 2021, and paid $1,700 but never received a key. Police reported that after they started looking into that case, Stoner refunded the woman’s money and subsequently was not charged.
Stoner had a court appearance on the pending charges against her May 1, and posted the $25,000 bond. Her next scheduled hearing in the case is June 15, with a tentative Sept. 7 trial date.
