Hancock woman gets 18 months for identity theft

September 01, 2005|by ERIN CUNNINGHAM

A Hancock woman charged with identity theft was sentenced Wednesday to 18 months at the Washington County Detention Center, according to documents.

Brandy Jo Allen, of 13916 Orchard Ridge Road, who was known as Brandy Jo Morgan at the time of her arrest, pleaded guilty to fraud by identity theft stemming from a May incident, according to Washington County District Court charging documents.

Her boyfriend at the time, Matthew Gerald Allen, also of 13916 Orchard Ridge Road, failed to appear in court Wednesday, and a warrant was issued for his arrest, documents state.

Brandy Allen and Matthew Allen were caught on video surveillance tape trying buy $762.74 in items from Wal-Mart at 17850 Garland Groh Blvd. in Hagerstown, documents state. They were using a credit card in a self-checkout lane, and had made about $200 in purchases before the unsuccessful attempt on a different credit card, documents state.

The couple left the store, got into a pickup truck and fled the parking lot. The truck was not registered to either Brandy Allen or Matthew Allen, documents state.

The owner of the truck, Matthew Allen's father, identified Brandy Allen and his son in the video surveillance pictures taken from Wal-Mart, documents state.

In charging documents, police said the credit cards used to make purchases at Wal-Mart were used earlier that day at Sheetz at 1465 Edwin Miller Blvd. in Martinsburg, W.Va.

Matthew Allen and Brandy Allen each were charged with several counts of theft, credit card theft and fraud by identify theft, documents state.

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