Credit Card Scam Catches Two Chicago Women
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – In a brazen attempt to use counterfeit credit cards, two Chicago women have pleaded guilty to credit card fraud charges in a West Virginia court.
Christine Johnson, 26, and Stephanie Stevenson, 27, both entered guilty pleas to possession of 15 or more counterfeit access devices. A counterfeit access device is a credit card that has been altered so that it contains stolen information that has been re-encoded on the magnetic strip on the back of the card.
The two women, along with two other codefendants, Wynesha Wilson-Robinson and Crystal Merritt, possessed over 100 counterfeit access devices. Johnson and Stevenson drove from Chicago to West Virginia in an attempt to use these counterfeit credit cards.
On June 5, 2015, the women were observed at the South Charleston Target and Walmart attempting to use the counterfeit cards, and store employees alerted law enforcement to the suspicious behavior. The South Charleston Police Department and the United States Secret Service conducted the investigation.
Johnson and Stevenson each face up to 10 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine when they are sentenced on October 3, 2016. Their codefendants, Wynesha Wilson-Robinson and Crystal Merritt, are also facing charges for their roles in the credit card scam.
Wynesha Wilson-Robinson, 27, of Chicago, previously pleaded guilty in April 2016 to credit card fraud and is scheduled to be sentenced on August 11, 2016. The fourth codefendant, Crystal Merritt, 29, also of Chicago, is scheduled for a plea hearing on August 4, 2016. All of the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until they are proven guilty in a court of law.
The case against the two Chicago women serves as a reminder of the dangers of credit card fraud and the importance of remaining vigilant when it comes to protecting personal financial information.
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Related Federal Cases
- Aliquippa Woman Gets Time Served in Credit Card Scam · West Virginia
- Ambridge Conspirator Smith Gets 3-Year Prison Term for Stolen Credit Card Scam · West Virginia
- NY Duo Sentenced in $179K Credit Card Scam · Pennsylvania
- Crystal Merritt Sentenced in WV Credit Card Fraud Ring · Illinois
- VDARE Founders Accused of $2M Charity Scam · West Virginia
Key Facts
- State: West Virginia
- Category: White Collar Crime|Cybercrime|Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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