Menlo Park Dry Cleaner Gets 6 Years for Credit Fraud

MENLO PARK, CA — A Menlo Park dry cleaner who pleaded no contest in July to felony identity theft and related crimes was sentenced Friday to six years in state prison, according to San Mateo County prosecutors.

Edwin Gary Smith, 66, was initially charged with 40 felony counts of identity theft, 20 counts of credit or debit card fraud, 19 counts of elder abuse and a white-collar crime enhancement.

Smith operated the now-closed Menalto Cleaners on Menalto Avenue in Menlo Park, where prosecutors said he made unauthorized charges to the accounts of victims who left their credit card information on file for
monthly billing.

Several victims confronted Smith, who reportedly promised to pay them back, but those payments were never made. An investigation ensued after two victims came forward in 2014.

Prosecutors said there were a total of 19 victims, including one who was 79, and their losses totaled more than $350,000.

On July 8, Smith pleaded no contest to one felony count of fraudulent use of an access card for grand theft and seven counts of felony identity theft in exchange for no more than eight years in prison.

At his sentencing hearing on Friday, Smith asked for the court's mercy and read a statement acknowledging that he betrayed his customers' trust. He also said he has a plan to repay them when he gets out of prison.

Smith was sentenced to six years in prison with credit for 32 days already served and was remanded into custody to begin his sentence. A restitution hearing has been scheduled for May 5.

Defense attorney Michael Armstrong could not immediately be reached for comment on the case.

— By Bay City News Service / Image via Google Maps