Local Arizona TV station KPHO recently covered this, trend which could make your next trip to the gas station costlier than ever.

Skimming is not new though it comes and goes from different cities. So far we have seen a jump in incidences in Kingman, Bullhead city, and Lake Havasu City and the news warns it may be coming to Phoenix next.

Unfortunately for gas customers, there is no way to know if a skimmer (often a flash drive) is present in the pump you use. As Dennis Ehrhart, director of Arizona’s Department of Weights and Measures says the only way to ensure you’re safe is to pay with cash.

As of yet, no arrests have been made in this rash of skimming. If and when the suspect(s) are caught, they could face a multitude of charges including credit card theft and fraudulent use of a credit card. For several of these charges, they could be facing years in prison.

Even if you don’t use the credit card or credit card numbers you are accused of stealing, you can still be charged with credit card theft. This offense is a Class 5 felony for the first time offender. If you are found with multiple credit cars, the charges will mount.

Whether you found someone’s credit card and didn’t intend to use or even if you admit to making a stupid mistake, I can help. Knowing the Arizona criminal laws governing credit cards and theft is my job and representing defendants is my passion.

When facing charges of fraud, theft, or identity theft, you need an aggressive defense attorney looking out for your best interests. Contact me today to discuss the charges against you and get some valuable legal advice.

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Officials began investigating when an Ohio man reported a possible identity theft when he was experiencing “legal, financial, and tax complications”, according to ABC 15 News. Investigators were led to 37 year old Marcus Jones, who is now facing 5 counts of identity theft and 5 counts of forgery.

It turns out Jones had been allegedly using the Ohio man’s name and information since at least 2001. He not only made purchases under the name but pled guilty to criminal charges in 2003 and 2008 using the victim’s identity.

When investigators found Jones, they found him to have a business, cars, and credit cards, all under the other man’s identity. Now he faces felony charges and several years in prison.

Whether it’s a one-time event or a long term operation like this one is said to be, the consequences can be detrimental to your future.

Identity theft is a class 4 felony and carries a 2 ½ year maximum sentence for a first time offender. Like any other crimes, the more times you do it the harsher the potential sentence. Also, if this isn’t your first exposure to the system, judges and prosecutors are less likely to be sympathetic to your situation.

If you are facing criminal charges like identity theft, fraud, forgery, or other white collar crimes, an aggressive defense attorney is crucial. Having an attorney willing to go the extra mile can make a big difference in your case and possibly in the results as well.

Contact me to talk about your charges today. It’s my job to know the law and I am willing to bet I have some worthwhile advice for you.

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First, police discovered a bad check scheme back in September when bank employees suspected a man of using fraudulent checks to obtain goods. Fifty one year old Michael A. McClain III is facing charges of forgery, fraud, attempted theft, and computer tampering.

McClain’s alleged activities involve more than $100,000. Police seized checks, laptops, and CD’s when they searched his home. He is currently being held in Coconino County Jail.

In the second case, as reported here at ABC15.com, local business owner Jill Lowell is accused of taking out fake loans in other people’s names. She runs “The Tractor Guy”, a business that had reportedly fallen on tough times.

Lowell is accused of using past customer information to take out loans to help keep the business afloat. She is now facing charges of fraud, theft, aggravated identity theft, forgery, attempted fraud, and giving false information to law enforcement.

In both of these cases the suspects likely didn’t think they would be caught. In both cases, however, they were wrong.

Fraud and other white collar crimes are often committed in times of financial stress and there is plenty of that to go around these days.  Regular people with jobs and even business owners like Lowell find themselves calculating the risk of breaking the law.

Unfortunately, these crimes are quite serious and both suspects are facing lengthy prison sentences. Several of the charges against them are felonies that carry up to 5 years behind bars.

If you find yourself facing charges of theft, fraud, bad checks, or any other Arizona criminal charge, our attorneys can help. We can be the  advocates you need in court and will do what we can to get the best possible results for you.

Contact our attorneys as soon as possible for a consultation on your case and some legal advice.

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According to this ABC15.com story, a Gilbert man was just recently convicted and sentenced for a crime that began about 12 years ago. Leonal Guerrero used the social security number he stole over 12 years ago from a Michigan man to purchase a vehicle, obtain employment, and get a credit card.

Because he has continually been using the identity, prosecutors were able to successfully charge him with identity theft. He was sentenced to 21 months in the custody of the Arizona Department of Corrections.

Arizona has a nationally recognized identity theft problem. It is because of this problem that state prosecutors take all identity theft cases very seriously. They are prosecuted aggressively and often punished severely.

In this great state of ours, identity theft is considered a Class 4 felony. For a first time conviction you could get up to 2 ½ years behind bars, not to mention facing other fraud charges for any behavior you undertook in the other person’s name. For instance, it is common to see identity theft charges paired with forgery or fraudulent use of a credit card.

Another charge Mr. Guerrero could have faced is called criminal impersonation. This applies when you use someone’s social security number to gain employment. Slightly less serious than identity theft, this crime is a Class 6 felony that carries 18 months as a potential prison sentence.

Regardless of the specific charge, if you are facing criminal charges involving the theft of someone else’s information or fraudulently using someone’s credit card, you need the assistance of an experienced attorney. Developing a defense strategy should be high on your list of priorities and I can help with that.

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Paparella owns the Citrus Café in Chandler. It turns out he was using the credit card numbers of his café patrons to make money and relax on their dime. Aside from getting massages, Paparella was buying expensive equipment and selling much of it on ebay.

It’s not clear exactly what charges he will face but the article states $5,000 is a “conservative estimate” of the value of his fraudulent acts. If this is the case, he will definitely be facing felony charges and a potential prison sentence.

According to Arizona fraud laws, if the value of the fraud is greater than $1,000 or more you can face felony charges and up to 1 ½ years in prison. For each card that Mr. Paparella stole and used, he could face a separate charge. These offenses could quickly add up to some serious prison time.

Fraud charges and similar thefts aren’t always committed by white collar folks, despite the term “white collar crime”. These offenses are considered very serious in the Arizona criminal courts and are sentenced accordingly by Arizona judges.

Facing a fraud or theft charge will likely cause a lot of stress in the defendant’s life as he comes to grip with the potential outcome. If you or someone you know is facing charges like these, the skills of an experienced attorney could be an asset. Call me to discuss your case today.

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According to the Phoenix news, the elderly woman slowly became ill and was no longer mentally competent to handle her financial and personal affairs. This is when Moore allegedly began taking advantage of her position with the woman.

Over a period, Moore signed the woman’s home into her own name and purchased a few high dollar vehicles. She also reportedly paid her own bills with the money according to the police’s probable cause statement.

Now, Moore is facing 21 criminal charges for the actions that allegedly took place. She has been charged with 10 counts of theft, 10 counts of theft by abusing a power of attorney and 1 count of fraudulent schemes and artifices. These charges could potentially mean several years behind bars for this Phoenix woman.

Fraud offenses are considered “white collar crimes” and are under the same heading as identity theft and forgery. It is not uncommon to see the elderly as a victim in offenses like this.

More often than not, however, these types of crimes are committed by people who aren’t typically criminally minded. Often they see the opportunity for quick money and don’t believe they will get caught. Once they are found out, however, they realize just how serious their actions were.

White collar crimes range from relatively minor misdemeanors to far more serious felonies. People can spend years in prison for these crimes and are often extremely stressed when they find out that prospect exists.

When in that situation, defendants want to make certain they have retained the most thorough attorney for their case. Let us hear about the specifics of you own case and see if we might be able to help you.

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