HAMILTON COUNTY, Iowa — Two people were arrested for scams enacted in Hamilton and Kossuth County while posed as public officials.

According to the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office, on February 24, 2025, dispatch was notified that a resident had been scammed out of $10,000 earlier that day. Authorities say the scam involved individuals posed as a lawyer and a judge, who then convinced the victim that their neighbor was arrested and needed bail money.

The victim cooperated, believing their neighbor was in trouble. One of the scammers, posing as a public official, went to the victim’s home where the victim gave them the money.

Later the same day, the Kossuth County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a scam that was identical to the report in Hamilton County. Kossuth County deputies identified the vehicle used by the scammers and issued an attempt to locate and an arrest warrant for the person the vehicle was rented to.

On February 27, the vehicle was found and the driver, Eddie Benitez Abreus of Florida, was arrested and charged with first-degree theft. Abreus had three cell phones in his possession, one of which still had the address of the Hamilton County victim saved in the map’s app, according to authorities.

Carlos Yadier Garrido Guzman, of Florida, was determined to be involved and Kossuth County issued an arrest warrant for first-degree theft.

Abreus and Guzman are both charged with,

• Theft 1st Degree
• Impersonation of a Public Official

The investigation was assisted by the Kossuth County Sheriff’s Office, Hamilton County Office Staff, and Hamilton County Deputy Alex Sharp.