2008 Woodie Awards
Student steals credit card; charged with 9 felony counts
By: Liesl Goecker
Issue date: 2/5/08 Section: News
On Thursday, Jan. 31, 2008, sophomore Christina Marie Lopez appeared in Putnam County Circuit Court on nine counts of felony charges, including theft, fraud and forgery. She was released on 10 percent of a $5,000 cash bond the same day.
Lopez, a resident assistant in Bloomington Street dorm, stole a credit card from a resident and charged $598.59 in food, clothing, tobacco items, video games and other items.
Between Dec. 9 and Dec. 15, 2007 Lopez made 14 charges at area businesses in Greencastle, Ind., Greenwood, Ind. and Burbank, Ill. Lopez pled not guilty to one count of theft, a class D felony; four counts of fraud, a class D felony; and four counts of forgery, a class C felony.
Lopez did not respond to requests for comment by press time, but in a statement made to DePauw Public Safety Officer Matt Demmings she said she found the credit card on the floor in her dorm. She added that she was severely in debt from paying medical expenses last year, was not financially supported by her family, and her current $80-per-month salary as a resident assistant did not suffice.
"I screwed up," she said at one point during the statement.
Demmings led the investigation, which started on Dec. 15 when the credit card was reported stolen. Director of Public Safety Angela Nally said DePauw officers reviewed surveillance tapes from the business at which unauthorized charges were made. Businesses included Greencastle's Wal-Mart, Monon Restaurant, No. 1 Chinese, Marvin's, two gas stations and several stores in the Greenwood Park Mall. From the tapes, they were able to identify Lopez.
Lopez has no previous criminal record, and while nine felony charges are being filed against her by the State, Putnam County Prosecutor Tim Bookwalter said in an interview with the Banner Graphic that "he expects that those charges will eventually be lowered." Bookwalter did not respond to The DePauw's requests for comment by press time.
Lopez's case is also being reviewed by the University's Community Standards Committee. Meggan Johnston, committee chairwoman and director of resident life, declined to comment on the committee's proceeding, or on Lopez's status as a resident assistant.
Nally said credit card theft is not as uncommon as many students would think.
"It happens more frequently than they [students] would think," she said. "I can think of at least two or three situations within the last five years in which someone's credit card was used without their permission." Nally added that several more cases that involved identity theft.
"Students need to be more careful," she said.
Lopez, a resident assistant in Bloomington Street dorm, stole a credit card from a resident and charged $598.59 in food, clothing, tobacco items, video games and other items.
Between Dec. 9 and Dec. 15, 2007 Lopez made 14 charges at area businesses in Greencastle, Ind., Greenwood, Ind. and Burbank, Ill. Lopez pled not guilty to one count of theft, a class D felony; four counts of fraud, a class D felony; and four counts of forgery, a class C felony.
Lopez did not respond to requests for comment by press time, but in a statement made to DePauw Public Safety Officer Matt Demmings she said she found the credit card on the floor in her dorm. She added that she was severely in debt from paying medical expenses last year, was not financially supported by her family, and her current $80-per-month salary as a resident assistant did not suffice.
"I screwed up," she said at one point during the statement.
Demmings led the investigation, which started on Dec. 15 when the credit card was reported stolen. Director of Public Safety Angela Nally said DePauw officers reviewed surveillance tapes from the business at which unauthorized charges were made. Businesses included Greencastle's Wal-Mart, Monon Restaurant, No. 1 Chinese, Marvin's, two gas stations and several stores in the Greenwood Park Mall. From the tapes, they were able to identify Lopez.
Lopez has no previous criminal record, and while nine felony charges are being filed against her by the State, Putnam County Prosecutor Tim Bookwalter said in an interview with the Banner Graphic that "he expects that those charges will eventually be lowered." Bookwalter did not respond to The DePauw's requests for comment by press time.
Lopez's case is also being reviewed by the University's Community Standards Committee. Meggan Johnston, committee chairwoman and director of resident life, declined to comment on the committee's proceeding, or on Lopez's status as a resident assistant.
Nally said credit card theft is not as uncommon as many students would think.
"It happens more frequently than they [students] would think," she said. "I can think of at least two or three situations within the last five years in which someone's credit card was used without their permission." Nally added that several more cases that involved identity theft.
"Students need to be more careful," she said.
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