OIL CITY, Pa. (EYT) – A Shippenville man is one of four defendants facing theft charges following an investigation that revealed the individuals used multiple stolen debit cards to purchase items at a gas station in Oil City.
According to court documents, Marienville-based State Police filed criminal charges against the following individuals in Magisterial District Judge Andrew F. Fish’s office on November 17:
- 30-year-old Kent Joseph Frantz, of Oil City;
- 24-year-old Stephanie Katherin King, of Oil City;
- 41-year-old David T. Sacunas Jr., of Clairton; and
- 25-year-old Riley James Kean, of Shippenville.
According to a criminal complaint, PSP Marienville received a report of a theft around 8:20 a.m. on April 1. The victim related an unknown individual entered his truck that was parked in his driveway and took his wallet containing numerous credit and debit cards sometime between 11:00 a.m. on March 31 and 4:00 a.m. on April 1.
The victim told police the door to his truck was not locked, and he left his wallet in it the night before, the complaint states.
Around 11:42 a.m. on April 1, PSP Marienville Trooper Nicholas Payne arrived on the scene to speak to the victim, who stated he left his wallet in his truck on March 31, and he began receiving notifications on his phone around 5:30 a.m. regarding charges on his credit and debit card. He later received notifications indicating the Bank of America debit card was used successfully at a gas station on Spring Street in Oil City, Venango County, totaling $51.69 at 7:26 a.m., the complaint indicates.
He related numerous attempts to use other credit and debit cards were unsuccessful, and the accounts were shut off, the complaint notes.
The victim explained he then went out to his truck to find numerous items were moved around and his wallet was missing, the complaint states.
Later on April 1, Trooper Payne contacted United Refining Company requesting security camera video at the time of the cards being used. Upon reviewing the video, it was determined numerous individuals exited an orange PT Cruiser at the gas station in Oil City at approximately 7:25 a.m., the complaint indicates.
One individual—a male wearing a t-shirt and basketball shorts—then attempted to use the stolen debit/credit cards belonging to the victim and successfully purchased a quart of chocolate milk at 7:31 a.m., according to the complaint.
This individual was observed to have “FRANTZ” tattooed on his right forearm, numerous symbols on his wrists, and “Kelly” tattooed on the top of his right hand, the complaint notes.
Upon further investigation, the male individual was identified via Facebook as Kent Joseph Frantz, the complaint states.
Attempts to contact Frantz for an interview were unsuccessful, according to the complaint.
Another individual—identified as David Sacunas Jr.—exited the vehicle from the front passenger side and pumped $51.69 worth of gas into the PT Cruiser using a stolen debit card, the complaint indicates.
Two other individuals exited the vehicle and proceeded to purchase numerous items in the gas station with the same debit card used to pump gas, according to the complaint.
The PT Cruiser then drove into a parking spot near the entrance of the gas station. The operator then exited the vehicle, attempting to fix a windshield wiper. The operator was identified as Riley Kean, the complaint notes.
Upon interviewing Sacunas, he related Kean picked him up with the orange PT Cruiser around 4:00 a.m. on April 1 from his residence located on County Line Road in Venus. Sacunas related Kean traveled to a gas station in Clarion before they proceeded to travel to Oil City and picked up Stephanie King and Kent Frantz. the complaint states.
Sacunas further told police they traveled to the gas station in Oil City where Kean proceeded to hand out numerous credit and debit cards to Frantz, King, and himself, the complaint indicates.
He related the card he used to pump gas was a card given to him by Kean, the complaint notes.
Upon interviewing Kean, he said he picked up Thomas Sacunas at Sacunas’ residence located on Aaron Road, Washington Township, Clarion County, on April 1, at approximately 4:00 a.m. He related he and Sacunas traveled to a gas station in Clarion County and then traveled to Oil City, where they contacted Kent Frantz and Stephanie King, and they all traveled to the gas station. Kean related Sacunas was in possession of numerous credit and debit cards, the complaint states.
He related that Sacunas offered to pump gas for Kean. Sacunas proceeded to hand King and Frantz debit and credit cards to use in the gas station. Kean stated he thought it was out of the ordinary for Sacunas to offer to pump gas and hand out cards to Frantz and King to purchase items inside the store, the complaint indicates.
Upon receiving the debit and credit cards, King exited the vehicle and entered the store. She then purchased Tin Star pipe tobacco for $6.24 at 7:27 a.m. with the victim’s debit card, and a Snickers candy bar for $2.99 at 7:32 a.m. with a separate debit card belonging to the same victim, the complaint notes.
All four individuals were charged with the following:
- Receiving Stolen Property, Misdemeanor 2
Unable to post $??,000.00 monetary bail, he/she was lodged in the Venango County Prison.
They each face a preliminary hearing on December 20, at 8:30 a.m., in Venango County Central Court with Judge Fish presiding.
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