Jeffco breaks identity theft ring
Rocky Mountain News
Published September 22, 2006 at midnight
Five women and two men have been indicted on 96 counts of racketeering involving identity theft, Jefferson County District Attorney Scott Storey announced today.
Each is charged under Colorado’s Organized Crime Control Act for allegedly participating in a criminal theft ring that has been operating throughout the Denver metro area.
They were identified as Naomi Jo Behunin, 26, of Golden; Uriah Behunin, 25, of Lakewood; Zackarey Verardi, 23, of Lakewood; Linda Camille Agripino, 44, of Denver; Christine Scott, 51, of Arvada; Rhae Davis Martin, 24, of Lakewood; and April Rene Bryant, 40, of Denver.
Each is alleged to have participated to some part of a crime that involved stealing personal and financial information, often from dumpsters or the Internet, then created false identification and checks.
The D.A. reported they are suspected of having cashed checks using the false IDs, often using the money to buy methamphetamine.
In some of the transaction, they allegedly created entirely fraudulent identities and accounts by altering existing personal and financial information.
Further, they are accused of using the checks to purchase prepaid credit cards, gift cards, game cards, food and other personal items.
Stores where they were used the fraudulent identities included King Soopers, Target, Check Auto Parts, Walgreen's, Diamond Shamrock, US Bank, Wells Fargo Bank and First Bank.
Other charges against the seven include theft, conspiracy to commit theft, computer crime, forgery and criminal impersonation.
Storey created a second grand jury specifically to investigate identity theft and other financial crimes.
"Prosecution of identity theft crimes is a high priority for this office, and through Communities Against Senior Exploitation Program we hope to help prevent some of these crimes from taking place in the first place," Storey said.
All of the defendants have been arrested and are being held on bond.
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