A New York-based counterfeiting ring was stopped by Trumbull Police as they fled the Trumbull Mall after attempting to use fraudulent Credit Cards to make several purchases.
On Wednesday, January 9, 2019, at about 6 p.m., a Trumbull officer patrolling the mall’s parking lot observed three males walking together acting suspiciously. The males split up and entered the mall after spotting the marked patrol car. A short time later, the same males exited the mall and quickly made their way to a waiting vehicle parked near the exit. As this was occurring, the loss prevention manager for the Apple Store located inside the mall, approached the officer and told him that the three males had just tried to use fraudulent credit cards to make several large purchases.
The officer stopped the vehicle it as it exited onto Main Street. Operating the vehicle was Shaheen Hopson 22, of Courtland Avenue, Bronx, NY. Inside the vehicle were the three suspects spotted by the officer and identified by the store manager. A search of the vehicle and its passengers found nearly two dozen fraudulent credit cards, two electronic credit card readers and a quantity of counterfeit cash.
Taken into custody at the scene were, Hopson, Marcus Fredericks 27, of Zacery Trail, Ellabell, GA, Devon Ross 21, of West Mosholu Street, Bronx, NY and Shaheed Clarke 21, of Concord Avenue, Bronx, NY. All four were charged with Illegal Use of a Scanning Device, Identity Theft 3rd Degree, Forgery 2nd Degree, and several other related charges. Each was held on $100,000 bond and are scheduled to appear in court on January 16, 2019.