June 6, 2002

TWO JUVENILES CHARGED WITH CREDIT CARD FRAUD 

Trenton, NJ — Mercer County Prosecutor Daniel G. Giaquinto and Washington Township Police Chief Robert Woodruff announced today the conclusion of a month-long joint investigation into credit card fraud.

Three search warrants were executed in Washington Township by members of the police department, the prosecutor’s office and the New Jersey State Police High-Tech Crime Unit on May 23 and 24.  More than $30,000 of computer equipment and electronics was seized and two township juveniles were charged with credit card fraud and receiving stolen property.

The investigation revealed that the two 15-year-olds obtained credit cards numbers over the Internet and used the information to purchase computer equipment and electronics.  The minors used several different Washington Township shipping addresses and received deliveries from United Parcel Service, Federal Express and the United States Postal Service.

“This investigation highlights the risk posed to the public by computer-savvy teenagers using computers and the Internet to commit crimes,” Prosecutor Giaquinto said.  “Parents need to know how their children are using the computer.”

Despite having been charged, every defendant is presumed innocent until found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.