Last night around 6:27PM pursuant to an ongoing investigation, officers from District B-2 (Roxbury) arrested suspect, Rodrick Pendleton, 46 of Dorchester and charged him with Larceny by Scheme.
Officers, before placing the suspect, under arrest responded to the intersection of Columbia Road and East Cottage Street where they spoke to the suspect and four youths who were at that intersection begging for money. Officers interviewed the youths who were begging and they explained to officers that they were collecting money for “children with HIV and AIDS.” Officers then questioned the suspect and he explained that he had a legitimate charitable organization named International Teensters. Officers then requested that the suspect provide an IRS tax identification number for his organization at which time he admitted to officers that he helped out the kids so that they can buy phones and sneakers.
Officers then further interviewed the children who told officers that the suspect has them wear shirts to collect money and at the end of the day they divide the money.