Police: 2 Meth Heads Caught Buying $9,000 in Jewelry Using Someone Else's Credit Card

 

BRADY, TX — The Brady Police Department busted a couple traveling through town that were about to purchase $9,000 in jewelry using someone else’s credit card thanks to the vigilance of the owner of Young’s Jewelry located at 1906 Bridge Street there.

According to the police, on Black Friday at 5 p.m., a couple shopped at Young’s and wanted to ring up a $9,000 purchase using a credit card with a name on it that did not match the identification provided to the owner of the business who was checking them out. The transaction was approved through the credit card authorization process, but Young’s owner was suspicious.

Thinking fast and on his feet, Young’s owner told the couple that before he completed the transaction, he wanted to go ahead and size the ring to the lady’s finger and suggested the two stop by the following day to pick up and pay for the ring. The couple left the store after Young’s owner stalled the purchase. The owner then called the Brady police.

Brady police investigated the name on the ID and looked into who the person who was on the credit card. They found the card was issued recently based on a fraudulent credit application and the card was mailed to a Denver City address. Police contacted that person whose name was on the credit card and she told police she had no recollection of any such credit card and was certain the application was forged.

Brady police coordinated with the owner of Young’s Jewelry for the anticipated return of the couple the next day to pick up the re-sized ring. Like clockwork, the male half of the couple returned to the store at 3 p.m. When Denver City resident Juan Michael Sanchez Parra, 32, walked into Young’s Jewelry, he was met by Brady police officers. He was taken into custody and he told police his girlfriend was still at the Best Western motel in Brady in room 111.

Police booked Parra into the McCulloch County Jail and drove over to the motel where they found the other half of the couple, 41-year-old Kristy Lozano Cervantes of Denver City. They questioned her about her involvement in the credit card scam and determined she too should be booked into the county jail.

Parra, the male half of the couple, was charged with Debit Card Abuse, Theft over $2,500 less than $30,000, Possession of a Controlled Substance (PG-1) – Methamphetamine (6 grams) and Possession of Marijuana less than 2 ounces.

Cervates, the female half, was charged with Fraudulent use or Possession of Identifying Information, Possession of a Controlled Substance (PG 1) – Methamphetamine (6 grams) and Debit Card Abuse.

Brady Police Chief Steve Thomas said the couple’s scam was larger than what his officers found in Brady, a town with 5,300 population in central Texas.

“The suspects have been found to have used this same credit card in several other businesses between New Mexico and Texas. We are in the process of sorting out this information so that additional charges can be filed in the proper jurisdictions,” Thomas stated in a press release.

Young's Jewelry has been in business since 1972 and is a full service family owned and operated jewelry store, according to their website.

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