Police Cite Man Claiming To Collect Donations For Troops Overseas In Petaluma
PETALUMA (CBS SF) -- Petaluma police cited one of two men last week who claimed they were soliciting donations to a for-profit company that sends care packages to U.S. troops overseas.
Police received complaints about the solicitors on Friday and Saturday in the McNear Park area.
One of the men, Terrance Johnson, 19, of Maryland, who was soliciting on 12th Street, had three warrants from two different states for similar offenses, police said. Johnson was not arrested because the warrants were labeled "cite only," police said.
The other man, Ethan Zimmerman, 18, of Idaho, was soliciting in the area of Mountain View Avenue and Baker Court, police said. Both men were told they could not solicit donations in Petaluma without a permit and were advised to stop soliciting, police said.
The men claimed they were collecting donations for CarePackageCampaign.org, police said. The for-profit company was founded in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and is now based in New Orleans, according to the company website.
On its website, the company states it is a for-profit company, not a registered 501©(3) tax-exempt nonprofit charitable organization, but is "equally dedicated to providing support for deployed soldiers."
"To personalize the experience and become more hands on we have branched out from just phone calls, door hangers, TV ads etc. by sending a veteran and/or independent contractor right to your communities," the company states on the site.
It offers to send care packages that range in price from $40 for a one-time "single sponsorship" to $544 for 32 packages for a full platoon.
The packages include personal hygiene items, new underwear, paperback books, small novelty items, snack foods, candy, gum, cookies, chips, skin lotion and beef jerky, according to the website.
"While we appreciate the concern for our American servicemen and women, we cannot allow some organizations to potentially defraud residents in Petaluma," police said in a statement.
Police asked residents to be diligent when making donations and to call the Police Department when there are unwanted or suspicious people soliciting donations.
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