Crime & Safety

Penn. And NY Men Plead Guilty To Mansfield Identity Theft Charges

According to police, the men tried using stolen identities at Best Buy​ to open mobile accounts and buy discounted phones.

MANSFIELD, MA — Two men accused of stealing people's identities and trying to fraudulently open cell phone accounts pleaded guilty on Monday in Attleboro District Court.

Francis Mejia, 20, of Scranton, Pennsylvania and Wally Mateo, 21, of New York City, were arrested on April 27, 2017 and charged with attempting to commit larceny, conspiracy, and identity fraud. Mejia and Mateo pleaded guilty to their identity fraud charges, while the prosecution agreed to drop the other two charges, the Sun Chronicle reported.

According to police, the men tried using stolen identities at the Best Buy at Mansfield Crossing to open mobile accounts and buy discounted phones. Police said that within an hour, there were two separate attempts to open accounts, but store employees caught on an called police.

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Mejia's and Mateo's cases remain on file for the next six months, but can be revived if the men are accused of another crime, the Sun Chronicle reported.

Image via Shutterstock

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