Thursday 24 May 2007

Couple plead not guilty in identity theft

Shameika Drain Curry, left, walks to the Federal Building with her mother and her lawyer
A couple charged with stealing the identity of a pop star and an actress pleaded not guilty Wednesday in federal court. Charles B. Curry Jr. and Shameika Drain Curry, both 28, are charged with identity theft, mail fraud and bank fraud. U.S. Magistrate Judge Jonathan W. Feldman allowed Shameika Curry to remain free on her own recognizance but ordered Charles Curry to secure his release by posting his home and his parents' home as collateral.

Shameika Curry's lawyer, John R. Parrinello, said the charges against her are flimsy. The couple has separated and Shameika Curry is living with her mother in Rochester, Parrinello said. "We adamantly deny these charges," Parrinello said.

The Currys are charged with stealing the identity of several people, including Grammy Award-winning R&B performer Ashanti and actress Nia Long, to illegally purchase cars, obtain credit cards and write bogus checks. If convicted, they face up to 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine.

The Currys, who have three children, lived on Still Pond Way in Henrietta until last fall, when U.S. postal inspectors served a search warrant on their home. An investigation began in October 2006 when a bank said it had been the victim of credit card fraud. Postal inspectors learned of a sudden spike of financial mail to the Currys' home, including mail sent to their address in the names of Long and pop music diva Mariah Carey. There are no allegations, however, that Carey was a victim, said Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard A. Resnick.

But a criminal complaint alleges that Shameika Curry impersonated Ashanti to buy a $36,000 Infiniti and impersonated Long to write and cash a check for $8,300. Charles Curry is charged with impersonating his father to buy a $31,000 Mercedes Benz; both are charged with defrauding a bank of $45,000 by impersonating an elderly Rochester woman to open a line of credit.

Charles Curry told Feldman that he has been unable to work at a cleaning business he and his wife own since he was injured in an auto accident in February. Property records at the Monroe County Clerk's Office show that Charles Curry bought a house on Collenton Drive in Greece for $315,000 on April 3.

(The Rochester Democrat and Chronicle)



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