Credit card fraud is a serious offense that is classified as a felony in New York. Being convicted can mean a lengthy prison sentence. A U.S. Postal Service mail carrier was accused of stealing a credit card on her postal route and using it to pay for an $8,000 surgery.

Shakera Small, 31, was arraigned in Queens Criminal Court. She was charged with grand larceny in the third degree, unlawful possession of personal identification information in the third degree, criminal possession of a forged instrument in the second degree and identity theft in the first degree, among other offenses. She faces a maximum prison sentence of seven years if convicted.

Small allegedly stole a credit card from a resident on 168th Street in Jamaica, Queens. The man who lived there later got a credit card statement with an $8,000 charge from Long Island Plastic Surgery. According to prosecutors, the man called his bank to clarify the charge was unauthorized. He also complained that the credit card had never arrived in the mail.

Small allegedly used a different credit card to pay a $1,000 deposit for her surgical procedure at Long Island Plastic Surgery in August 2019. She charged the remaining balance on the stolen card a few days later. Small identified herself using a forged Connecticut driver’s license with the alias of Christine Petrow.

If you are under investigation for credit card fraud or have been charged with a related crime, you need experienced legal representation. The New York criminal defense attorneys at Brill Legal Group will examine all the evidence against you and build a strong defense. We are ready to take your case to trial if necessary. Contact us immediately to learn more.