N.Y. men waive charges in credit card scam bust

Aaron Young

Vic Washington

ROCHESTER - The two New York men arrested earlier this month in the first of two incidents within a week involving credit card scams at Lilac City shopping malls waived the more serious charges against them last week during a probable cause hearing Wednesday in Rochester District Court.

Vic Washington, 44, of 203^rd St., Queens waived his probable cause hearing on four felony counts of receiving stolen property, while several charges regarding false IDs, theft by deception, forgery and possession of controlled/narcotic drugs were all nol prossed, meaning they won’t be prosecuted.

Aaron Young, 30, also of Queens, waived his probable cause hearing for felony identity fraud, while several other lesser charges regarding certain theft by deception and forgery charges were also nol prossed.

Prosecutors at the pair’s arraignment said the two men had obtained many credit numbers using night cameras to capture people’s credit card numbers as unsuspecting travelers checked into a New Jersey hotel.

Prosecutors also alleged that the pair had at least one video stored on a cell phone that showed them in possession of vast sums of cash.

The Secret Service is currently assisting Rochester Police in the investigation because of the interstate trafficking involved.

The two men are alleged to have entered Kohl’s on Jan. 9 and tried to use a bogus credit card to purchase items. When the clerk swiped the card, the rejection came from a credit card provider other than the one named on the card. After the pair left Kohl’s empty-handed, store managers contacted Rochester Police, who met up with the two men as they were leaving Lowe’s after purchasing several items using one of the bad cards.

Rochester Police arrested the pair and also confiscated “many” fraudulent credit cards and phony Indiana driver’s licenses.

Rochester Police Sgt. Anthony Deluca characterized the operation as “big” and said the investigation is ongoing.

The night camera equipment used to capture victims’ card number and passwords at the New Jersey hotel and the video led authorities to suspect the pair may have access to large sums of money, so a Nebbia hearing to verify the origin of any funds used to pay their bail will be scheduled if they raise the money. Bail was set at $250,000 cash.

Both Young and Washington have significant criminal histories, including theft and forgery convictions.

Just four days later on the following Monday Rochester Police arrested another pair of New Yorkers, this time at the Lilac Mall, after two men allegedly tried to buy gift cards at various Lilac Mall businesses using fraudulently obtained credit cards.

In that incident Deval Rhodes, 22, of Elmont, N.Y., was charged with felony forgery and misdemeanor possession of controlled drugs/marijuana; and Djeffry Louis, 20, Rosedale, N.Y., was charged with driving after revocation, misdemeanor transport of marijuana and felony cocaine possession after Rochester Police caught up with the pair at Pet Paradise.

Rhodes and Louis are being held on $50,000 cash bail, also with a Nebbia hearing ordered if they do come up with the bail.

Rhodes is facing several charges in New York, including an April arrest for promoting prostitution and a December arrest on marijuana charges.

Louis, meanwhile, faces charges in the Big Apple from a September arrest in which he was charged with 26 counts of forgery, ID theft and forged instruments.

Rochester Police Capt. Paul Toussaint said last week that Rochester Police are aware of similar bogus credit card scams attempted in other New Hampshire communities, including Exeter and Dover.