Temporary visas were reportedly at the center of a scheme that went wrong and led to the death of a robbery suspect.
“A gas station robbery in January that ended with a bystander shooting and killing the robber was apparently a scheme between him and the victims who were trying to get temporary immigration status,” Fox News reported.
The mock robbery was allegedly staged by 22-year-old Rasshauud Scott and William Winfrey, with police discovering telegram messages between the men, according to court documents reviewed by Fox News Digital.
The coordinated plan was to have Scott pretend to rob two victims who were in on the plan and would then file for U-Visas. According to the U.S. government, “U Nonimmigrant Status” is used if “you are a noncitizen and are a victim of a qualifying criminal activity” who can then file a “petition for temporary immigration benefits for yourself and your qualifying family members.”
The deadly gas station incident was not a first for Scott and Winfrey who reportedly had staged previous fake robberies before, with one occurring the night before Scott was killed, according to police.
“On Jan. 27, Scott pretended to rob two people at the Swift gas station on 4400 Lockwood Drive. That’s when a bystander, identified as Jesus Vargas, allegedly shot and killed Scott. Court documents say Vargas told police he fled the scene because he was violating his parole by being in possession of a gun,” Fox News reported.
Winfrey is reportedly now being charged with murder.
“Documents stating that the two had staged at least two robberies with the same method before, saying they did one the night before Scott was killed on Jan 26 on 4400 Lockwood Drive at the Swift gas station,” Fox 26 reported, noting that both “victims” filed for U-visas and one did receive the document.
“Another documented case is from February 27, 2023 at 6601 Gessner Road. The documents say all three people who claimed to be victims applied for and were granted U-Visas,” the outlet reported.
“He didn’t deserve what happened to him at all. He was making a dumb decision. I’m not defending him, of course, but he didn’t deserve to die,” Scott’s now-widowed fiancée Sade Beverly told Fox 26.
“Somebody still lost a life at the end of the day. Have some decorum,” the mother of two added. “It would have eventually caught up to him, and he would have had to learn the hard way. He just took him out. He didn’t get the chance to fix his mistakes.”
“Nobody’s talking about the real issue here, and that’s gun laws. They need to change,” she said. “I don’t see how people are able to say it’s okay to take somebody’s life. It’s never OK.”
Vargas could be charged but that will depend on a grand jury, according to police.
Writers and editors can be contacted at [email protected] with feedback, tips, or corrections.
Originally from New York, Powers graduated from New York University and eventually made her way to sunny South Florida. Powers also contributes to BizPac Review.
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