Alleged JeffCo Credit Card Fraudsters Accused Of Theft

GOLDEN, CO – Expensive mountain bikes, electric guitars and amplifiers, archery bows, used cars, motorcycles, jewelry and clothing were all stolen through an identity theft ring operating spring of this year, a Jefferson County grand jury alleged on Aug. 21.

Under the direction of alleged ringleader Michael John Mancuso, III, 28, the group allegedly used fraudulently acquired credit cards to order expensive items, which they then pawned for cash, the indictment from the First Judicial District Attorney's office said. The grand jury returned a 68-count indictment which accuses eight people of participating in the theft ring between December, 2017 and April, 2018.

Mancuso is also charged with conspiracy and racketeering under the Colorado Organized Crime Control Act (COCCA). Other members of the alleged enterprise include: Kristina Julie Babe, 40, Chelsea Juanita Dix, 24, Dwone Daunte Extor, 22, Faith Marie Knight, 26, Texie Shannon Lane, 32, Matthew Paul Lane, 42, and Jacob Wyatt Westfall, 20.

Investigators were unable to determine how Mancuso and his associates obtained the credit card information, although the indictment said most of the 14 victims were Colorado residents and holders of Chase VISA cards.

The indictment described a series of instances in which Mancuso would allegedly call a business, such as a bike shop, and identify himself as a relative of a person who wanted to buy a bike. He would allegedly provide stolen credit card information, then either pick up the merchandise himself, or send a colleague. The merchandise would then be pawned for a percentage of its value. The ring allegedly stole more than $20,000 wroth of merchandise with fake credit cards, the indictment said.

Bike stores allegedly hit were:

From Yawp Cyclery, in Edgewater, a Surly bicycle costing $2,180.52 was purchased fraudulently on Dec. 23, 2017 and sold to Cash in a Flash Pawn shop for $600.

From Schwab Cycles in Lakewood, Mancuso allegedly ordered two Orbea bicycles and some pedals over the phone on a stolen credit card for $6,148.98 on Jan. 18, 2018. He and co-defendent Chelsea Dix were unable to pawn the bikes.

At Bicycle Shack, in Arvada, the grand jury said Mancuso ordered a $2,697.92 mountain bike over the phone Jan. 20, 2018.

At Guerilla Gravity Mountain Bikes in Denver, Mancuso was accused of impersonating the cousin of a credit card holder and ordering a $3,640 mountain bike to be picked up. Co-defendent Jacob Westfall allegedly collected the bike and was paid $100, the indictment said. Co-defendent Faith Knight allegedly pawned the bike for $1000.

The group is also accused of pulling the same scheme at Cycleworx in Boulder and the Golden Bike Shop.

The group also allegedly used stolen card numbers to buy electric guitars and amplifiers from music stores, and expensive archery bows, which they traded for cash at pawn shops. They also allegedly bought luxury clothing and jewelry.

Mancuso is also accused of charging a $3,785.50 2002 BMW on a stolen credit card. He and his friends also rented three nights at Bear Creek Cabins for $400 with a stolen card, the indictment said.

However, the fraudulent purchase of a 2008 Triumph Sprint motorcycle with a stolen credit card, appears to have been the undoing of Mancuso. Clerks in several stores noticed and remembered the motorcycle, the indictment said, allowing investigators to tie the incidents together.

Mancuso was finally caught when he tried to flee on foot from the Golden Bike shop in April. (See video from Golden Police Department).

Mancuso and several others in the group were taken into custody. Two, Faith Knight and Dwone Ector, have active warrants for their arrests, the district attorney's office said.

Image: Michael Mancuso via JeffCo DA's Office

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