Wednesday, July 9, 2008

Stand manager accused of fraud

Evelyn Cronce El Defensor Chieftain Reporter

ECRONCE A woman managing the fireworks stand in the Wal-Mart parking lot was charged with nine counts of credit card fraud and one count of fraud. Katherine Billie Jacquez, 21, of Albuquerque, reportedly told police she did it to keep her mother from losing her home.

According to the criminal complaint filed in Magistrate Court, police were alerted to the thefts by an Arizona woman, Cherokee Muncy.

On July 4, Muncy reported she had been notified by her credit card company that someone was using her credit card number to make purchases at a fireworks stand in Socorro.

Muncy told police she made two fireworks purchases at the stand June 22. She then returned to Arizona.

Officer Rocky Fernandez went to the stand and questioned the mother and two daughters who were managing it. Fernandez told Jacquez he intended to close the stand down and arrest Jacquez, her mother and her sister. Jacquez allegedly admitted to using Muncy's credit card number.

Jacquez said she had been entering the credit card number for fireworks that had not actually been sold so the three women would have a larger stock of fire works to sell, which would result in a larger amount of money being paid to her and her family at the end of the sales.

Jacquez said she had done this because her mother was in danger of losing her home. Jacquez also said she was unable to keep a job because of a disability.

The complaint states that Jacquez said she tried to use other credit card numbers but they had been denied.

There were nine fraudulent charges made to Muncy's credit card.

All the purchase receipts were signed with the Muncy's name. The fraudulent charges totaled $2,309.38.

Jacquez was arrested and remains in custody in the Socorro County Detention Center in lieu of $110,000 cash or surety bond.

ecronce@dchieftain.com

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