POLK COUNTY, Fla. -- Three people have been arrested and another is being sought after an investigation by the sheriff's office found they all worked together to steal personal information from 60 people.
Investigators said the four then used the stolen information to defraud numerous JC Penney's stores in 11 Florida counties including Polk, Pinellas, Hillsborough, Pasco and Orange.
Between Oct. 26, 2017, and April 3, 2018, the group made 65 separate fraudulent transactions online to buy more than $21,000 worth of JC Penney's merchandise, investigators said.
The sheriff's office said the group purchased merchandise using fraudulent credit cards in other people's names, then exchanged the products for gift cards or cash at JC Penney's stores.
The group when then sell the gift cards for cash at a discounted rate, investigators said.
The release from the sheriff's office said each of the suspects faces various charges including racketeering, conspiracy to commit racketeering, grand theft, petit theft, criminal use of personal identification-30 or more persons and criminal use of personal identification.
The individuals arrested:
-- Aramis Shantel Nelson, 26, of Lakeland
-- Charles Gibson, 30, of Lakeland
-- Da Jah Charisse Scott, 30, of St. Petersburg
The sheriff's office said Shykiah Rosetta Samoya Byrd, 26, of Riverview is still being sought for charges.
Three JC Penney's stores in Polk County were victims of grand and petit theft: 3800 U.S. 98 N Suite 200, Lakeland; 6200 Grandview Parkway, Davenport; and 501 Eagle Ridge Dr., Lake Wales.
The other affected JC Penney's stores were in Duval, Clay, Lake, Pinellas, Pasco, Volusia, Orange, Osceola and Hillsborough counties.
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