PORT ST. LUCIE – Two Port St. Lucie residents were arrested by Port St. Lucie Police on Oct. 30 after they tried to swindle a California man out of $20,000 in cash, according to police reports.

On Oct. 30 at about 5 a.m., PSL Police was contacted by a California resident who claimed he was victim of a bank scam after mailing $20,000 in cash to an address in Port St. Lucie, according to police reports.

The investigation revealed that on Oct. 29, the victim received a call from someone claiming to be a Chase Bank representative. The caller claimed that the victim’s account had been compromised, and the victim was instructed to assist in securing his funds by physically transferring them to another Chase Bank branch in Port St. Lucie, according to police reports.

The victim followed the caller’s instructions and withdrew $20,000 cash, placed the cash in a large yellow envelope and mailed it via FedEx “next-day delivery” to an address in Port St. Lucie.

After sending the package, the victim told police that he became suspicious and, in research the mailing address, he discovered it was a home address and not a Chase Bank location. The victim said tried to contact FedEx, but they were closed for the day, he told police. After calling law enforcement in California, he was then referred to the Port St. Lucie police.

Officers were able to contact the local FedEx distribution facility and intercept the package prior to delivery, according to police reports.

With the assistance of FedEx employees, the package was electronically marked as delivered to the home address in Port St. Lucie as officers and detectives conducted surveillance on the home, according to police reports.

Two suspects arrived in a gray Hyundai SUV and parked in the road in front of the address to where the package was to have been sent, according to police reports.

The passenger of the Hyundai, later identified as Trey Michael Romans, 20, of Port St. Lucie, exited the car, while the driver, later identified as Jean Phillipe Dorcena, 25, of Port St. Lucie, stayed in the car. Officers and detectives took them into custody without incident.

In questioning the resident of the delivery address, the man told police that he knew the suspects and said that Dorcena asked if he could have a package delivered to the man’s home. Dorcena would pay him for the receipt of the package but the man was not to open it, the resident told police.

Police say that there was no evidence that the resident knew what was being delivered to his home.

A search of the suspect’s vehicle revealed approximately 16.5 grams of marijuana on the passenger seat was intended on being used by the suspects and the resident, according to police reports. Both suspects’ cell phones were also seized so search warrants can be served on them to confirm the communications made during the scheme, police said.

Romans was charged with one count of grand theft; one count of scheme to defraud; one count of distribute/deliver marijuana under 20 grams; and one count of violation of probation for a prior arrest. Romans is currently held at the St. Lucie County Jail on $51,500 bond.

Dorcena was charged with one count of grand theft; one count of scheme to defraud; and one count of unlawful use of a two-way communication device to facilitate a felony. Dorcena is currently held in the St. Lucie County Jail on a $105,000 bond.

The victim’s money will be returned to him via a check, police said.