A Queens, N.Y., man is behind bars and facing felony charges for his alleged involvement in the use of stolen identities for the fraudulent purchase of iPhones in Centre County.
According to state police at Rockview, Craig A. Herdman, 31, admitted that he gave a stolen identity to a delivery driver and had been paid to pick up packages containing iPhones.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security and local law enforcement are currently investigating an identity theft ring creating fraudulent accounts through Sprint, using stolen identities of Centre County residents, according to a criminal complaint. Police said that the accounts are used to order multiple iPhones for delivery to the victims’ residences, where they are picked up by individuals from out of the area without the victims’ knowledge.
The alleged scheme has resulted in an estimated loss of $200,000 by Sprint and ‘numerous Centre County residents’ have had their identities stolen, police said.
An investigation found that the suspects involved were operating a gray Volkswagen sedan.
Police said that on Friday morning, a delivery of four iPhone XRs was scheduled for a Gregg Township residence. Before the driver reached the porch, Herdman allegedly approached him and gave him a college ID with the name of an identity theft victim. The UPS driver told police that Herdman had gotten out of a gray Volkswagen.
Police said they determined another delivery of four fraudulently purchased iPhone XRs was scheduled for later that same day at another Gregg Township residence. State police surveilling the residence observed a FedEx driver deliver the package. About a half hour later they saw Herdman get out of a gray Volkswagen and walk up the driveway to a side porch where he retrieved the package, police said.
Herdman was taken into custody and when asked where his car was he said ‘they took off,’ according to the complaint.
In an interview with state police and a Homeland Security agent, Herdman allegedly admitted to giving the UPS driver an ID at the first residence to obtain the cell phones. He also said he was getting paid to pick up packages and knew they contained iPhones, according to the complaint.
The eight iPhone XRs are valued at $5,999.92.
Police said Herdman had no state ID, only a passport, and told investigators that he received mail at a Queens address but rarely resides there.
Herdman was charged with two felony counts each of theft by unlawful taking and receiving stolen property and one felony count of identity theft.
He was arraigned by District Judge Kelley Gillette-Walker, who set straight monetary bail at $500,000. Herdman was unable to post and was being held at the Centre County Correctional Facility. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Feb. 6.
