JAMES LAWRENCE DRULIAS JAME DRULIAS JAMES LAWRENCE DRULIAS stole $3000 from Western Union. The money was intended for the Seller of an automobile. He pocketed it instead. Carmichael CA

INCIDENT REPORT - CARMICHAEL POLICE DEPT. (Sacramento, CA)

Crimes Alleged: Wire Fraud (CA Penal Code Sec. 1343) and Grand Theft (CA Penal Code Sec. 487)

Perp: James Lawrence Drulias

Address: 4000 Triplett Court, Carmichael

PH: (725) 292-4118 ; (725) 292-4119 (Perp’s fiancee’s phone number)

CDL: C5230889   Exp: 08/13/2026  DOB: 08/13/1970

Address on CDL: 3108 44th St., Sacramento 95817

SEX: M   HAIR: BRN   EYES: BRN  HGT: 5’-10”  WGT: 180 lb

On Wednesday, 11/08/2023, the Victim hired the JAMES LAWRENCE DRULIAS (the 'Perp' or 'P') to drive a 2005 PT Cruiser Convertible from Sacramento to Petaluma. The Vic found the auto for sale on Craiglist in the Sac area. The auto owner would only accept cash (no PayPal; no bank wire; no Western Union). The Vic advertised for a Driver and, after checking his references and receiving a copy of his CDL via text message and email, the Vic hired James Lawrence Drulias as a Driver. After the Vic paid the P $150 via PayPal  to cover his fee ($100) plus fuel ($50), the Vic and the P agreed that the most efficient means of satisfying the auto owner’s request was for the P to give $3,000 of the Vic’s money to the auto owner.  After providing the P’s identification data to Western Union, and confirming with a W.U. representative that the Vic had befriended the P. and had checked out his references, W.U. agreed to process the wire transfer. On Thursday, 11/09/2023 @ 8:06 a.m. PT, the P picked up the money at a Western Union certified office (‘North Highlands’  W.U. Transfer #: 2487251349).  The P texted the auto owner to confirm that he would deliver the money ($3,000) by 11 a.m.  Approximately half and hour to an hour later, the P texted the auto owner to indicate that he was changing the meeting time to 1 p.m.  By 1:15, he did not show at the auto owner’s home to complete the sale. By 1:30, the Vic reached out to the P by text and voicemail. The P did not respond. On 11/09/2023, the Vic received a text message from the P’s phone number from someone who said his name was “Tommy” and claimed to be a “cousin” of the P. The message appeared quite convoluted and state that the P had “been arrested” and that “we don’t know why”. The Vic phoned the P’s number. After several attempts in which the call was picked up then dropped, the Vic connected with a man who said his name was “Tommy”. The Vic made multiple inquiries as to where the P. lived (“Tommy” said: “sometimes here”), if the P lived with his fiancée (whom the P had referenced during a phone conversation the day before); and what jail he was in as well as why he was arrested. The Vic concluded that “Tommy” was responding in an evasive manner. After ending the call, the Vic phoned Sac PD. The desk officer had no record of the P having been arrested that day.  During the next 24 hrs. the Vic reached out to the P’s references which he provided during the Driver candidate interview stage on 11/08/23, including:

1- Nicole Webber. Close friend of 10 years, fiancee of over 1 year and roommate.

     Her number is 725 292 -----

2- Mark Saldavore. Close friend and roommate of mine for 2 years. His number is 916 529 -----

Art Hemold. Close friend of almost 20 years.

 His number is 279 204 -----.

Messrs Mark Saldavore and Art Hemold said they were completely stunned by the alleged incident. Mr. Hemold said he knows the Sac D.A. and recognized the seriousness of the offense as the Vic alleged. Both men agreed to reach out to the P.  Very early in the morning of 11/10/2023, the Vic received the following text message from the P.’s phone number:

“What the eff dude. How dare you accuse me of stealing. When you changed your mind about me helping you buy that car, and instead said you’d rather help me get my life back on track. I got teary eyed dude. Then after a day from hell I come back to all these threats and bullshit accusations? Again I’m grateful but your (sic) a creep for all this drama. Do not contact me or anyone I know ever again. Leave us alone. We got enough problems and what you did today. The things you told people I know was embarrassing. Seek help.” 

At no point during communications with the P did the Vic ever promise to help out the P or give him a charitable donation. Instead, it was quite clear through more than 20 text message communications and email communications that Vic was hiring the P to drive a car from Sac to Petaluma and that the Vic was entrusting that the $3,000 sent to the P by Western Union was intended for the Seller of the 2005 PT Cruiser. 

Since all of the above occurred, the Vic has diligently pursued the P via text, vmail message, and contact with the P’s references and landlord to the point where the P said, “Come get your money.” As the Vic is without transportation and based in Petaluma (hence why he was buying a car), seeing the P. in person is somewhat impossible at present. It would appear that this crime transcends Civil and meets the threshold for Wire Fraud (CA Penal Code Sec. 1343) and Grand Theft (CA Penal Code Sec. 487).