James Tanner is No Danny Tanner

In one of the more interesting stories to cross my morning breath infected palate this morning was this gem about a modern day Grifter.

Cleveland man sentenced to year in prison in Cedar Point ticket scam

Saturday, August 02, 2008
Maggi Martin
Plain Dealer Reporter

A 59-year-old Cleveland man was sentenced Friday to a year in prison for using his daughter to scam more than $1,000 in a fake Cedar Point ticket scheme.

James Tan ner pleaded guilty to theft and aggravated theft last month in Cuya hoga County Common Pleas Court. Prose cutors said Tanner used his 13-year-old daughter as a pawn to gain the sympathy of donors.

A 59 year old man has a 13 year old daughter?

Tanner had the girl play the role of the adorable daughter trying to help the disabled. She went from one customer to another in bars offering Cedar Point tickets for a donation to a charity, stating her father was a manager at the local amusement park. Some gave large amounts of cash and got worthless coupons.

The money that bar patrons and business owners gave the girl never went to charity - it went into her father's pockets.

In the end, prosecutors said, Tanner and his daughter took at least $1,070 from eight businesses in Parma, Strongsville and Cleveland.

Obviously, this man is the spitting image of a Cedar Point manager... And it even seems as if he is donning his latest Big Dog T-Shirt, so it plausible that intoxicated fools could willingly fork over handfuls of cash to such a cute little girl who just wants to try and help out the handicrapped.

It seems that young Victoria Tanner was only hosing the generous folk of Cuyahoga County for a mere $40.. And the the total gross swindle was just around $1000. I know that every millionaire amassed his wealth "1 Dollar at a Time", but seriously, one year in prison, over three hundred blind sided attacks from the oh so gentle Butt Pirates roaming the incarcerated waters... For a cool G?

And just for everyone's enjoyment.... Another photo of a Cedar Point Local.