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Man accused of targeting people he met on Facebook

Suspect in at least two more robbery cases
Posted at 6:20 PM, Mar 09, 2017
and last updated 2017-03-10 02:07:11-05

Police arrested a Tampa man they say went on a string of robberies connected to online sales posts.

Jarrett Irving is being charged with two robberies currently, but Tampa Police say he is suspected of being involved in two others.

According to police and victims, the 30-year-old Irving used different online services to post ads where he was claiming to be selling video game systems including the Facebook Marketplace and OfferUp. One victim says he was even more creative with her.

"He friended me on Facebook," Cecelia Ray said.

Ray says she and Irving had several friends in common, so she accepted his request. She says they started chatting, during which he learned she had two teenage sons. During their conversations he asked if she knew anyone who would want to buy two video game systems. She immediately said she would be interested.

"He said he had them for discounted prices, it was legit," she said.

She drove from her home in Polk County to University Mall in Tampa. She says she met Irving in the parking lot. He got into her car and directed her to another location where he claimed he had the systems. During that time, he mentioned that the systems were stolen. Ray says she questioned him about that statement, that's when he grabbed the money out of her hand and jumped out of the car.

"He snatched the money and just went," She said.

According to police, the very next day Irving posted another ad. The victim in this case says it was on the site, OfferUp. That victim, a juvenile, met Irving at an address along Nebraska Avenue. He says Irving walked out of a wooded area, implied he had a gun and robbed the teenager.

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