Two more arrested in credit card scam
By GREG STAHL
Express Staff Writer
Chubbuck, Idaho, police arrested two siblings Saturday in connection with
a credit card theft that originated in Sun Valley.
The two are believed to be part of a credit card ring based out of
Portland, Ore.
Ronnie Richardson, 30, and his sister, Jennifer Richardson, 24, both from
Rupert, were arrested on multiple counts of forgery, possession of a stolen credit card
and possession of methamphetamine, Ketchum police Lt. Mike McNeil said in an interview
yesterday. All are felonies.
Additionally, Ronnie Richardson was arrested for assault on a police
officer, a felony, and Jennifer Richardson was arrested for possession of marijuana, a
misdemeanor.
Chubbuck police apprehended the pair at a Wal Mart store, where they
allegedly attempted to use an American Express credit card to purchase merchandise. They
allegedly had obtained the card using information stolen from a New York resident who was
visiting Sun Valley, McNeil said.
On April 13, New York City resident Adam Clemens reported that his credit
information was apparently copied by someone while he left his credit cards in a
condominium off Warm Springs road. He rented the condo between March 25 and April 1.
McNeil said that on April 18, police arrested Patricia Valdez, 30, a
Gooding resident and housekeeper at the condominium, and Brock L. Gillis, 28, a resident
of Shoshone. He said both were arrested at their homes and charged with fraudulent use of
a credit card, criminal possession of account information and fraudulently obtaining goods
and services, all felonies.
McNeil said Valdez allegedly let Ronnie Richardson into the condo as part
of a plan to obtain Clemens credit information.
The case is still under investigation. The four arrests made so far could
be part of a wider-ranging credit card theft scheme involving multiple parties, police
said.