Riverton Duo Busted for Credit Card Theft

SALT LAKE CITY – A brazen daytime burglary in Riverton has landed two individuals in federal court, accused of pilfering a woman’s wallet and racking up over $1,037 in unauthorized purchases. Jason Oler Kettler, 35, of Magna, and Chaunte Marie Thompson, 31, of Salt Lake City, are facing charges related to the theft and subsequent misuse of credit cards, according to a federal complaint filed this week.

The crime unfolded on June 24, 2013, when the victim, identified as J.B., reported a break-in to her residential garage. Surveillance footage revealed a red passenger car with a sunroof pulling into the driveway. A white male suspect was clearly captured on camera entering the garage multiple times before fleeing with J.B.’s wallet. Just hours later, J.B. discovered three of her credit cards had been used without her permission.

The spending spree included a $493.49 purchase at Sportsman’s Warehouse in Midvale, followed by two transactions totaling $543.74 at the Nike Store in West Jordan. Investigators quickly obtained surveillance footage from both stores, providing crucial evidence in the case. The total fraudulent purchases amounted to $1,037.23.

Unified Police Department detectives, working in conjunction with the Utah Identity Theft Task Force, painstakingly reviewed surveillance tapes and followed up on numerous leads. On July 2, 2013, they zeroed in on Kettler and Thompson, positively identifying them through driver’s license photos and prior booking records matching the suspect in the garage surveillance.

Both Kettler and Thompson are charged with one count of using an unauthorized access device (credit card). They are scheduled to make their initial appearance in federal court at 3 p.m. Wednesday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Evelyn J. Furse. The Utah Identity Theft Task Force, a collaborative effort between federal, state, and local agencies, continues to investigate identity theft crimes across the state.

It’s crucial to remember that a complaint is not a finding of guilt. Kettler and Thompson are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. If convicted on the access device fraud charge, they each face a potential maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine. The Salt Lake District Attorney’s Office and the U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to coordinate efforts as the investigation progresses.