Posted on Feb 12, 2008

Feb. 12, 2008 NEWS RELEASE On Feb. 12, 2008 the Johnson County Sheriffs Office was contacted by the U.S. Marshal’s office, that Michelle Renee Thompson was taken into custody in Niagara Falls, New York. Thompson is the suspect who defrauded at least ten families of their rent and deposit money before Christmas. At that time, Thompson was showing a rent house in Keene that she did not own, and took deposit and rent money from individuals who thought in good faith, they were indeed going to get to move their families into that house. Each was unaware that the house was being shown to others who had already submitted the money to also hold the property until a certain move-in date. Unfortunately, Thompson collected $9,275 in rent and deposit money and absconded, leaving all the families in a tenuous situation. The U.S. Marshal’s office, armed with a federal warrant, tracked Thompson to the location of her arrest in New York, where she was engaging in similar fraudulent activity. Thompson was using another name and is currently being investigated on other charges with Niagara Falls PD. It is unknown when Thompson will be brought back to Johnson County, due to the ongoing investigations in New York.