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Less than one week ago, we reported that Carl Gonzalez, 19 of Highspire and Tyreese Lewis, 22, of Harrisburg, had been arrested for allegedly impersonating Pennsylvania bank employees and customers. Now, Jaire Amari Cotton, 22, of Harrisburg; Lavon Whittaker, 22, of Harrisburg; and Zyaire Monserrat, 22, of Steelton, join them in the Dauphin County Prison on the following changes.
- Corrupt organizations
- Identity theft
- Bank consumer impersonation
- Access device fraud
- Computer trespass
- Related offenses
As we previously reported, Tyreese Lewis was previously convicted for stealing $140,000 of Pandemic Unemployment Assistance funds from 2020 through 2021 and was convicted of half a dozen charges in connection with the PUA thefts in 2022– but he failed to show up to his sentencing. A warrant for his arrest was issued on Jan. 23, 2023. He was found in Los Angeles, California in August.
Much like Lewis, Jaire Amari Cotton also was convicted in a similar scheme. Along with two only young men, Cotton used stolen debit car information to fraudulently purchase gift cards at Rutter's and then cash the card before the victim or the business could cancel the cards in Sept. 2022, according to the Northern Lancaster County Regional Police Department and court documents.
Cotton pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct in connection with the fraud and began service a year of probation on July 12, 2023, but on July 25, he was back behind bars for allegedly committing theft and robbery, according to court records. He has also been charged with a County Probation violation, prison records show.
He was been held on a total of $35,000 in surty bonds and Whittaker and Monserrat have each been held on $100,000, prison records and the GA explained.
The investigation "uncovered numerous fraudulent bank transactions and subsequent purchases," as stated in the AG's release. The group of men made "withdrew money from accounts or used stolen debit card information to purchase gift cards, which the defendants bought in efforts to conceal the thefts. The defendants made purchases at a variety of locations, including department/apparel stores and gas stations, and redeemed many gift cards for cash."
Investigators also seized several mobile devices which they analyzed and found hundreds of potential consumer targets and the investigators found communication about the theft scheme.
“All identity theft-related crimes cause significant financial stress for the victims, and often have long-term repercussions lasting months, if not years, to rectify,” said Pennsylvania State Police Captain James Cuttitta, Commander of the Special Investigations Division, Bureau of Criminal Investigation.
This case will be prosecuted by Chief Deputy Attorney General Patrick Schulte.
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