Surveillance footage captures suspects at a Camp Verde Tractor Supply on Aug. 10. Inset: Mugshot of Christerful Ray Bryant Jr., 36, following his arrest in Phoenix. (Camp Verde Marshal’s Office)
PHOENIX - A Phoenix man is behind bars and authorities say they are uncovering a multi-state identity theft ring after a high-end lawnmower and trailer were fraudulently taken from a rural Arizona store using a victim's stolen information.
What we know:
The arrest of 36-year-old Christerful Ray Bryant Jr. follows an investigation by the Camp Verde Marshal's Office after license plate tech tracked a rental SUV down Interstate 17 back to the Valley, unearthing evidence linking the suspect to even bigger fraud schemes playing out in Arizona and California.
Investigators say the scheme unfolded on Aug. 10 at the Tractor Supply store in Camp Verde, where a male and female suspect used another person's identifying details to open a store credit account. Cops say the pair fraudulently purchased a $4,200 Toro zero-turn riding mower and rented a utility trailer to haul it off the lot. Neither the mower nor the rental trailer were ever returned.
Surveillance cameras caught the suspects leaving the business in a dark-colored Jeep Wagoneer towing the stolen trailer. Automated License Plate Recognition cameras flagged the Jeep heading south on I-17 toward Phoenix, letting investigators trace the rental SUV and identify Bryant and 30-year-old Fatuma Salim, both of Phoenix. Cross-referencing motor vehicle records with store security footage further tied both suspects to the transaction, police said.
The arrest:
On Aug. 21, officers spotted Bryant in Phoenix and pulled him over near 19th Street and Broadway Road, taking him into custody. A search of his car reportedly turned up the original Camp Verde Tractor Supply rental agreement and receipts, plus a stash of documents connecting Bryant to other fraudulent transactions across Arizona and California.
Bryant was booked into the Yavapai County Detention Center on charges including identity theft, fraudulent schemes, forgery, criminal impersonation, theft and failure to return rented property.
What's next:
Authorities are continuing efforts to locate Salim, as well as the missing $4,200 mower and trailer. Anyone with information regarding the suspects or additional fraudulent activity is urged to call the Camp Verde Marshal’s Office at 928-554-8300.
Map of where the arrest occurred:
The Source: Information in this report was gathered from the Camp Verde Marshal’s Office.