On October 19, 2015, 37-year-old Nathan Lee of Prescott was arrested for charges including Burglary, Identity Theft, Forgery, and 7 counts of Aggravated Identity Theft. He remains in the Camp Verde Detention Center on a $2500 bond.
During the months of August and September 2015, suspect Lee worked as a landscaper and handyman for a 79-year-old Chino Valley resident/victim. On September 5, 2015, the victim’s bank notified him of several possible fraudulent transactions on his debit card. When the victim checked his wallet, he discovered the debit card missing.
The deputy met with the victim at his home bank branch to review a current account statement. The victim highlighted over $1000 in fraudulent purchases including 2 debit card transactions at ATM’s in Chino Valley, purchases at WalMart in Prescott Valley and Prescott, a ranch supply store in Prescott and a sporting goods in Prescott Valley. He explained that the only person who had access to his wallet was Lee. The victim also admitted providing Lee his debit card pin number in the past when Lee was helping him gas up his car.
Over the next few weeks, the deputy followed-up at the various businesses noted on the victim’s bank statement and obtained numerous video surveillance clips showing a man resembling Lee using the stolen debit card. On October 19, the investigating deputy located Lee at his Prescott home. Lee was interviewed and admitted to the theft and use of the victim’s debit card without permission. He was arrested and booked at the Camp Verde Detention Center.