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Officers from the Westport Police Department were dispatched to a local liquor store at approximately 11 a.m. on Thursday, March 15, where a clerk at the store reported that there had been a suspicious purchase made at the location.
Police said that the employee was able to provide officers with a description of the suspect who had just made a purchase with a Visa gift card. A man - later identified as Mount Vernon resident Damon Hollis, 29 - was spotted walking into a nearby restaurant and a second officer followed him inside, where Hollis’ card had been declined.
The officer approached Hollis, and further investigation determined that he had also made a purchase at a second liquor store before entering the restaurant. Police said it was later determined that Hollis’ alleged accomplice, 30-year-old Mount Vernon resident Jocelyn Torain, was in the car, driving him to and from each business to attempt the fraudulent purchases.
According to police, Hollis was cooperative during the investigation and willingly handed over the gift card used to make the purchases. Officers determined that the numbers imprinted on the front of the card did not match the credit card number encoded in the magnetic strip on the back, determining that it was a fraudulently manufactured card.
Hollis and Torain were arrested at the scene and transported to Westport Police Headquarters for processing. Hollis was charged with three counts of illegal use of a credit card, two counts of receipt of money or goods by using an illegal credit card, credit card forgery, larceny and conspiracy. Torain was charged with conspiracy to commit the illegal use of a credit card. She also had an active warrant out for her arrest in Stamford.
Following arraignment, Hollis was released on $5,000 property bond. Torain was released into the custody of the Stamford Police Department. Both are due back in Norwalk Justice Court on March 26 to answer the charges.
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