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Bloomfield Woman Faces Identity Theft And Theft Charges

Last updated on Sunday, September 16, 2012

(BLOOMFIELD) - A rural Bloomfield woman was re-arrested Monday on four new counts of identity theft and theft.

Nick Schneider, of the Greene County Daily World reports, Kerri Nelson, aka Kerri Frye, 38, was originally charged in Greene Circuit Court with single counts of identity theft and theft - both class D felonies - in early March, but further investigation by the Bloomfield Police Department uncovered four more victims and the additional charges.

On the new charges of five counts of theft and four counts of identity theft - all class D felonies - Fyre was released from jail after posting 10 percent of a $36,000 bond. Her initial court date was set for 9 a.m. on Sept.19.

In the original case, she is alleged to have purchased a Toshiba 19-inch LED high definition television from Amazon.com on March 5 using the bank account in the name of Sarah Dyer for $238.36, according to a probable cause affidavit filed by Bloomfield Town Marshal Kenneth Tharp.

On July 12, a subpoena was issued to Amazon for additional records relating to purchases made online by Nelson.

In the new charges, it's alleged that Nelson made other purchases using the names of other individuals between March 5 and 20 totaling $1,207.02.

The purchases included:

* A Dyson Animal Vacuum for $309.99 using the Master Card account of Laura Mantz's name and address of Seymour.

* Rudach Pain Relief Medication for $48.95 using Andrea Shield's name and Jasonville address and Visa Card information that she allegedly obtained from her position at Bloomfield State Bank where Shields had used her credit card for a cash advance, according to court records. She also attempted to use that identity to purchase a Sterling Silver "My Mother, My Friend" necklace for $190.98.

* A hanging quilt rack for $74.50, a NASCAR Tony Stewart Giant Wall Decal for $38.36; 10 Acres Palm Plant seeds for $5.42; and a Tony Stewart two-sided garden flag for $38.86 using the identifying information on the Master Card account of David Vandeventer, of Bloomfield.

* A Sony Vaio 15.5 inch laptop computer for $499.72 using the Master Card with the name of Anthony Alexander of Albany, Ind.

Tharp noted in his probable cause affidavit that the laptop was given to her husband, Eric Nelson, as a gift.

"Once Eric Nelson realized that the Sony Vaio laptop was possibly stolen, Eric turned the items into the Bloomfield Police Department pending the outcome of this investigation," Tharp wrote in the probable cause affidavit.

Tharp noted that Bloomfield State Bank has reimbursed the victims the monetary value that their accounts were penalized because of the alleged fraudulent transactions.
Earlier on June 26, a search warrant was served at Nelson's residence and a minor child was observed using an Apple iPad. A subpoena was obtained and police learned that the iPad was purchased by Nelson using a Bloomfield State Bank account from Amazon that was delivered April 4. On or about April 20, Nelson is alleged to have reported to Bloomfield State Bank that she had ordered the iPad, charged it to her account, but never received the product, according to the probable cause affidavit.

The bank subsequently refunded the entire amount of the purchase.

Nelson was charged with fraud of a financial institution - a class C felony; and theft - a class D felony in that case that was filed July 12.

She is facing a Dec. 4 jury trial on both cases.

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