WEXFORD, Mich. - Three people were arrested at a northern Michigan Walmart as part of an investigation into the fraudulent use of a person's credit card after her wallet was reportedly stolen.
The three people were allegedly using radios with a microphone to communicate while they were attempting to use the card at department stores, a news release from Michigan State Police's Cadillac Post said.
The investigation began Wednesday night when a trooper got a call about a stolen wallet at a department store in Haring Township, a rural area just north of Cadillac.
The victim told police she had sat her purse down in the store and didn't realize she didn't have it until she was at checkout. While she managed to locate her purse, her wallet was missing. Then, a short time later, she received a notification that her bank card had been used at a Home Depot next door.
The trooper took a look at surveillance footage from the first store and began to identify suspects.
While the trooper was following up on the investigation at the Home Depot, the victim received another notification of an attempted purchase with her card at a Walmart. The purchase was rejected.
While at the Walmart, the trooper saw the woman matching the person in the first surveillance footage. A man was also observed with her.
During an interview with the woman, the trooper noticed the woman had an earpiece and microphone attached to a radio that she was wearing. She was overheard talking to someone on the radio that she was going to jail, police said.
The man she was with was wearing an identical radio.
The woman was told to tell the person on the radio to come to the entry of the store. A short time later, a man walked through the door with an identical radio and was wearing an earpiece for communication.
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The three suspects, identified as Stephanie Fuentes, 41 of Muskegon, Robert Brown, 43 of Grand Rapids, and Damion Nelmark, 44 of Gowen, were all arrested and lodged at the Wexford County Jail.
Nelmark was arraigned on two counts of conspiracy to commit illegal use of a financial transaction device, one count of stealing a financial transaction device, and habitual offender in the fourth degree. His bond was set at $50,000/10%.
Fuentes was charged with illegal use of a financial transaction device, attempted illegal use of a financial transaction device, one count of stealing a financial transaction device, and larceny. She had her bond set at $25,000.
Brown was arraigned on one count of conspiracy to commit illegal use of a financial transaction use. He was given a personal recognizance bond.