NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — A man wanted on 11 charges, including multiple counts of identity theft trafficking, was taken into custody on Monday after reportedly evading arrest for over seven months.
Charles Jermell Farr, 35, was among the suspects featured on the Metro Nashville Police Department's "Top 10 Most Wanted" list on May 24. According to police, Farr has an extensive criminal history involving car burglaries, credit card theft and identity theft.
The 11 charges against him include three counts of vehicle burglary, three counts of identity theft trafficking, theft of property, fraudulent use of a credit card, probation violation and two counts of failure to appear.
Under Tennessee law, a person commits identity theft trafficking when they knowingly sell or give someone's personal identifying information to another person in order for them to obtain credit, goods, services or medical information in the victim's name.
While Farr has previously been convicted of vehicle burglary and indicted on previous theft charges, the most recent charges against him stem from a string of alleged crimes dating back to Dec. 16, 2022, according to an arrest affidavit.
Sometime between 4 p.m. and 4:40 p.m., a woman told police someone had smashed her driver side window and stolen her purse and its contents, including her credit cards, while her car was parked at Cornelia Fort Airpark on Airpark Drive.
Her stolen credit cards were then used at a nearby Kroger on Gallatin Pike to purchase $1,700 worth of gift cards, police reported. Investigators obtained video footage from the grocery store, which reportedly showed a man believed to be Farr and a woman using the stolen credit cards.
Based on Farr's previous criminal history, detectives believe Farr was coaching the woman on how to use the stolen credit cards to purchase gift cards. Authorities said Farr is also known to target victims at metro parks, where they are more likely to leave their wallets in their cars.
The police department's investigation showed the suspects' car, a 2013 Volvo XC90, was reportedly involved in several similar incidents spanning three months. On March 6, 2023, another victim reported his car had been burglarized while it was parked at Shelby Park on Davidson Street.
Within 30 minutes of the alleged burglary, police said six of the man's stolen credit cards were used to buy a $500 gift card and some candy at a nearby Walmart on Dickerson Pike. Only a day later, officers received reports of a third vehicle burglary at Cornelia Fort Airpark.
The victim told police her stolen credit card had been used to make a $250 purchase at Hairworld and a $22 purchase at a 7-Eleven gas station. Authorities said video surveillance showed Farr and the woman at both businesses only a short time after the alleged burglary.
In two of the alleged car burglaries, police said the victims had left their vehicles unlocked.
Farr was taken into custody on Monday, July 17. As of Tuesday, he remained behind bars with a $33,500 bond. He is among at least 63 wanted fugitives who have been taken into custody since the police department began publishing the “Top 10 Most Wanted” list on Oct. 19, 2022.
According to police, the Criminal Warrants Division has received more than 50 tips regarding “Most Wanted” suspects since then, with nearly 90% of tips leading to an arrest. To view the most recent list of “Most Wanted” fugitives, click here.
from WKRN News 2 https://ift.tt/ENj3XcA
No comments: