LUCAMA — Three New York City men face felony fraud charges after authorities say they were caught buying $16,000 worth of meat with stolen credit cards.
All three, from the Bronx borough, were arrested and charged Tuesday in a special action by the Wilson County Sheriff’s Office.
Wanderson De La Cruz Trinidad, 22; Miguel Mateo Echavarria Emerson, 21; and Federlin Jimenez Rodriguez, 22, are each charged with two counts of financial card fraud and obtaining property by false pretense, according to a news release from Wilson County Sheriff’s Office Chief of Staff Wanda Samuel.
“A credit card fraud was reported to the Wilson County Sheriff’s Office in reference to a woman from Ohio who had her credit card information stolen,” Samuel said. “The suspect had charged over $5,000 to her credit card for the purchase of meat from a wholesale meat market located in Wilson County. While the case was being investigated, detectives learned that the same purchaser account bought another $5,000 worth of meat from the same meat market but used a different credit card.”
Samuel said the second card had been stolen from a Florida man.
Two charges were made to the man’s card for more than $5,000, Samuel said.
“Detectives learned that the purchaser was supposed to take delivery of the meat on Nov. 14,” Samuel said. “A plan of action by the Wilson County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigation Division, Special Operation Division and Sheriff’s Traffic Accident Reduction Unit was put into place for the takedown of these suspects.”
Samuel said the three suspects arrived at the Star Meat Market in Lucama on Tuesday and took delivery of the prepurchased meat.
The meats included prime rib, pork and a combination of beef and pork cuts.
“A traffic stop was conducted on the suspect vehicle by the Wilson County Sheriff’s Office STAR team,” Samuel said. “The three suspects were taken into custody without incident and transported to the sheriff’s office, where they were interviewed by detectives. The suspects are believed to belong to a theft ring out of New York, and it is believed that other suspects are involved in this case.”
Each man was booked into the Wilson County Detention Center under a $15,000 secured bond.
Samuel said more charges are possible from the Wilson County Sheriff’s Office as well as law enforcement agencies in other North Carolina counties.
“In total, the suspects have fraudulently obtained over $16,000 worth of meat from the Star Meat Market in Lucama,” Samuel said.
Another 660 pounds of meat products was purchased from a meat market in Angier, she added.
“That meat was also seized and will be returned to the Angier Meat Market, as it is believed to have been fraudulently purchased by the suspects,” Samuel said.
According to its website, Star Meat sells beef, pork, chicken, lamb and seafood. The business is located at 301 U.S. 301 in Lucama.
Anyone with information is encouraged to call the Wilson County Sheriff’s Office at 252-237-2118.
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