Posted on 01/14/2011 10:51:31 AM PST by Behind Liberal Lines
Syracuse, NY -- A Watertown taxi driver is facing a felony after he was accused by Syracuse police of scamming soldiers trying to get from Syracuse Hancock International Airport to Fort Drum.
Michael B. Lavery, 37, of 8417 Willow St., Evans Mills, a driver for Phenix Cab Co. of Watertown, was charged with grand larceny.
On Jan. 3, several soldiers stationed at Fort Drum were waiting for a shuttle back to the base after flying into the airport. Because of the long wait, a soldier contacted Phenix Cab Co. to find out the fare to the base and was quoted a price of $90. The soldier informed the cab company that there were three going to the base for the $90 fare.
When Lavery arrived, he solicited another two soldiers to join the cab ride with the agreement that $90 would cover all five.
When the cab arrived at the Northern New York base, Lavery told the five that the price was $90 per person and that they owed him $450, not $90.
During the discussion on the rate for the ride, Lavery threatened to have the five arrested and called the military police...Knowing that criminal charges could hurt their military careers, the soldiers paid the $450.
Lavery was charged with grand larceny for extorting the extra fare from soldiers under threat of a criminal charge.
(Excerpt) Read more at syracuse.com ...
That kind of crap has been going on around bases and posts for a long time. It was common in the late 60s early 70s as well. I knew of one commander who successfully had the cabbies licenses permanently removed.
The last guy named in the article is pretty ticked! From the comments;
“This is Peter Larkin,
Many of the facts stated in the news are not accurate. Because there are too many questions about this issue, Michael Lavery does not work for this company any longer. I personally was dispatched to Hancock Airport to pick up a soldier who had called for a ride. That is when I was issued appearance tickets. Those tickets have been dropped and no further charges are pending.
As a former soldier, I am the last one to take advantage of a fellow soldier. Anyone who rides with phoenix taxi would tell you that I frequently give discounts and free rides which come out of my pocket.
The news does NOT have all facts correct and I am working with my attorney to get my name cleared from the media.”
I heard his real name is Mohhamed bin Gonzales-Ruiz X.
“Lavery threatened to have the five arrested and called the military police...Knowing that criminal charges could hurt their military careers, the soldiers paid the $450.”
And just like in my day, average GIs have so little trust and faith in their own Military Police and in the Judge Advocate General that they paid their money and got the hell outa there.
Terrible....
How times have changed. When, back in the late 60’s, I was stationed at Ft Myer, Va, just outside Washington, I once tried to tip a cab driver a dollar on a $4 ride. He refused the tip and gave me half the fare back because I was in the military.
must have learned that trick from the ‘rads.
they’ve been doing GIs like that since ‘45.
There’s good and bad out there. Once when I was very late getting out of bed in San Diego — and found that I had less than half the money I needed to get back to the ship, I asked a taxi driver to take me as far as my money would take me in the hopes that I could catch a ride closer to the base.
The money ran out half way across the Coronado bay bridge, he just turned off the meter and kept driving. Fast too! Made it to the after-brow of the Connie just in time. Closest I ever came to missing ship’s movement.
Really nice guy!
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