Massive Identity Theft Investigation Ends With 2 Arrested

PORTLAND, OR — A man and woman who were arrested Monday in connection with a string of identity theft cases were found to have allegedly stolen the identities of more than 140 people, which they used to rent at least five high-end luxury apartments, make fraudulent purchases, and steal rental cars, according to the Portland Police Bureau.

Nicholas Anthony Devranos, 29, and Toni Mae Collins, 28, were taken to Multnomah County Jail on numerous charges each of identity theft and aggravated identity theft, burglary, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, and theft.

Additionally, Devranos is being held on an outstanding warrant from Washington State, and Collins is being held on an outstanding warrant from California.

While Devranos and Collins were arrested this week, the investigation into their alleged activities began in early May, after an apparent victim of identity theft called police to report the fraudulent opening of an account in their name.

According to court documents obtained by Patch, the victim told police an account was created in her name at Kohl's department store and then used to purchase a television on May 9.

While reviewing security footage from the day of the TV purchase and from days other purchases were made using the same account, detectives learned additional fraudulent purchases were made on April 12, 25, and 30, bringing the total debt accrued in the one victim's name to more than $1,000.

The victim explained to detectives she never opened any such account or made any such purchases; the security video helped exonerate her, but it also gave investigators two unidentified suspects to track down.

For reasons that are not entirely clear, a bail bondsman out of Los Angeles contacted Portland police during the investigation to obtain information on Collins, court documents show. At this time, police did not know Collins' name but they had her likeness on security video from Kohl's making fraudulent purchases with an unidentified man.

Matching the video images of Collins with images provided by the bail bondsman, detectives positively identified her as the female suspect in the case. A known associate of Collins' in California, Devranos was subsequently identified through the security video as well.

While searching for the pair, Portland police learned Devranos had recently bailed out of jail in Clark County, Washington, and, according to police records, a woman named "Shelby" bailed him out.

Around the same time, a woman named Shelby called police to report a fraudulent car rental in her name.

According to the evidently real Shelby, Avis car rental contacted her about a Kia Sportage she never returned. The real Shelby explained to police that she never rented a car from Avis and, when police questioned her about it, she also explained that she never bailed anyone out of jail.

(Devranos and Collins were recorded leaving the Kohl's store on May 9 in a white Kia Sportage with Oregon license plate 429 KBK. That vehicle is still missing.)

On June 5, a Beaverton car dealership called police when a salesman became suspicious of someone named "Matthew" attempting to make a purchase. The photo ID of the "Matthew" trying to buy the car reportedly did not match pictures of the same "Matthew" found on the internet.

Unfortunately, the "Matthew" attempting to making the purchase left before police arrived at the dealership — but not before providing the dealership with an address for an apartment in Northwest Portland.

Detectives visited the apartment complex and asked the manager who rented the unit at the address given to the dealership. The manager told police it was being rented to a man named "Ryan." But when the manager showed police the driver's license of the "Ryan" who was renting the unit, detectives saw it was the same man who was also identified as "Matthew" by the car dealership.

Both "Matthew" and "Ryan" were then positively identified as Devranos, police said.

An officer made contact with Devranos at the apartment on June 11.

Disguising himself as a neighbor, the officer knocked on the door. The man who answered told the undercover officer his name was "Ryan," but no arrest was made at that time.

A short time later, officers waiting outside the apartment saw Devranos emerge. When police contacted him, Devranos fled on a OneWheel — a self-balancing one-wheeled electric skateboard. After a brief chase, he was arrested near Northwest 16th Avenue and Northwest Naito Parkway.

Returning to the apartment, officers knocked and were greeted by a woman they immediately recognized as Collins. She was subsequently arrested without incident.

A search warrant for the apartment turned up "an enormous amount of items associated with identity theft," according to a probable cause affidavit.

Forged IDs as well as the equipment and tools needed to make more forged IDs, fake checks, stolen mail and passports, and — perhaps most notably — a spreadsheet with the names, addresses, social security numbers, and driver's licenses of more than 140 people, including those of the real Shelby, Matthew, and Ryan, were taken from the apartment as evidence.

Also at the apartment complex, police discovered a 2018 Ford F-150 pickup that was reportedly rented from Avis.

Avis told police the truck was rented by a man named "Ryan" who never returned it. Avis considered the vehicle stolen, police said.

Anyone with information about the still-missing Kia Sportage or either of the defendants involved in this case is asked to call Portland police at 503-823-3333.

Images via Portland Police Bureau