EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — Two El Paso men were arrested for deceptive business practices targeting elderly victims, according to a news release by the El Paso County Constable’s Office for Precinct 4.
Jaime Montoya
The first man, 53-year-old Jaime Montoya, was booked into the El Paso Detention Facility on an outstanding warrant for probation revocation.
Jaime Montoya. Photo courtesy of the El Paso County Constable’s Office for Precinct 4.
On Jan. 4, a deputy constable was approached by a 70-year-old man who needed assistance filing a report regarding his missing vehicle. The man stated that he sought a mechanic to repair his vehicle, which was the family’s only mode of transportation.
The victim said he contacted Montoya, and said Montoya could repair the vehicle for $1,600. On Dec. 3, 2025, Montoya took the vehicle and a deposit of $800, according to the Constable’s Office. The remaining balance would be paid after completing the work and he would return the victim’s vehicle.
On Dec. 11, 2025, Montoya contacted the victim and told him that the repair was done and needed to pay the balance. The victim stated that he never received his vehicle back, and Montoya refused to return the vehicle, according to the Constable’s Office.
On Jan. 1, Montoya contacted the victim again and told him he would return the vehicle, which he did not.
On Feb. 11, the deputy constable attempted to contact Montoya, and the victim told Montoya that he no longer had the victim’s consent to keep the vehicle, demanding the return of the vehicle.
Montoya “acknowledged” the victim’s note and asked for the victim’s address to return the vehicle on Feb. 13. Montoya failed to meet with the victim and return the vehicle.
An arrest warrant was obtained for Montoya and on March 3, he was arrested. Montoya was booked into the El Paso County Detention Facility with a $20,000 bond for deceptive business practices. He posted bond the same day, according to jail records.
At the time of his arrest, Montoya was on probation for a similar incident. On March 21, Montoya was arrested again for an outstanding warrant for probation revocation.
According to the Constable’s Office, Montoya has a history of scamming victims. A previous incident revealed that he committed a similar offense and later abandoned a victim’s unrepaired vehicle instead of returning it.
In another incident, Montoya had a victim’s vehicle impounded and “ghosted” the victim. The victim was later contacted by the impound yard, which informed them that their vehicle was available for retrieval, but they would need to pay the impound and storage fees first.
Gary William Starr
The second man, 65-year-old Gary William Starr, was booked into the El Paso County Detention Facility for deceptive business practices and theft of property, with a total bond of $10,000.
Gary William Starr. Photo courtesy of the El Paso County Constable’s Office for Precinct 4.
On March 17, a woman called the Constable’s Office stated that she believed her 82-year-old father had been a victim of a scam and theft. A constable deputy met with the family to learn about the incident.
According to the victim, on Feb. 27, the water heater in his home stopped working and he sought a plumber to repair or replace the appliance.
The victim contacted CS Plumbing and the owner of the company, identified as Starr, went to the home and restarted his water heater. The victim stated that Starr told him that the appliance had a leak and needed to be replaced.
Starr offered to replace the water heater and suggested replacing it with a tankless water heater unit. Starr quoted the victim $3,500 for the complete replacement of the appliance. He charged the victim $2,300 upfront and stated that the remaining balance of $1,200 would be due once the work was completed.
Both Starr and the victim agreed the appliance would be installed on March 3.
According to the County Constable’s Office, Starr did not replace the water heater and gave the victim multiple excuses. He then started to ignore the victim’s attempts to contact with him.
Constable deputies later located and met with Starr. He said he acknowledged the agreement with the victim, receiving payment in the form of a check, cashing the check and ultimately failing to complete the work as agreed.
“Starr made no efforts or attempts to complete the work or reimburse the victim the funds the victim had paid him,” the Constable’s Office said.
Arrest warrants were obtained for Starr and on April 15, he was arrested in Socorro.
According to the Constable’s Office, Starr also had a history of similar offenses.
“The Precinct 4 Constable’s Office urges residents to be cognizant of individuals targeting and victimizing our elderly and oftentimes vulnerable members of our community and families,” read the news release.
Editor’s Note: Jaime Montoya reached out to KTSM claiming the person never paid for the vehicle. KTSM has reached out to Constable’s Office regarding Montoya’s claim. We will update this story, if needed.
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