ST CATHERINE, Jamaica — A St Catherine businessman who fled the island after failing to import and deliver two vehicles he was compensated for has been arrested and charged by the police.

He has been identified as 52-year-old Elvis Jones of Hellshire Avenue, Portmore in St Catherine. Jones was caught in Panama and deported to Jamaica on Saturday.

He is being charged with fraudulent conversion, failing to issue receipt and non-delivery of goods or service on contracted date.

According to police reports, a man and a woman entered into separate agreements with Jones in March 2022 to have a 2016 Subaru Impreza motor car and in August 2022 to have a 2013 Toyota Aphard minivan imported from Japan, respectively.

They reportedly made the agreed payments with promises that the vehicles would be delivered within four weeks. A report was made to the police after the vehicles were not delivered as promised, and an investigation was launched.

The police said investigations revealed that Jones had fled the island. He was subsequently placed on INTERPOL Red Notice for wanted persons, and later held in Panama.

Jones was charged on April 15 after a question-and-answer session in the presence of his attorney.

He is scheduled to appear in the Kingston and St Andrew Parish on Friday.