Man Sentenced to 1 Year for Stealing Wallet, Emptying Man’s Bank Account at Norfolk Credit Union in 2018
NORFOLK, Va. — Raymond Raquan Walston, 25, was sentenced to one year in prison after pleading guilty on Monday to identity theft, obtaining money by false pretenses, and failing to appear in court following his arrest for stealing a man’s identity to steal money from his bank account in 2018.
On Sept. 6, 2018, Mr. Walston used the victim’s identification and bank card information at the Chartway Federal Credit Union on Kempsville Road and was able to withdraw more than $12,000 from the victim’s checking account. Video surveillance from the credit union showed Mr. Walston making the transaction. The victim had lost his wallet and last remembered using it inside a gas station on Aug. 31, 2018. After noticing on Sept. 7, 2018 that his bank account was nearly empty, the victim filed an affidavit of forgery with the credit union and reported the fraud to Virginia Beach Police.
On Oct. 5, 2018, a Chesapeake Police officer conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle Mr. Walston was driving. During a search incident to Mr. Walston’s arrest, officers found the victim’s wallet containing the victim’s identification cards under a folded blanket that Mr. Walston had been sitting on. Based on the information gathered by Virginia Beach and Chesapeake officers, Mr. Walston was charged in Norfolk for identity theft, obtaining money by false pretenses, and forgery.
Mr. Walston failed to appear in court for his preliminary hearing on those charges, was charged with an additional felony of failing to appear in court, had a bench warrant issued for his arrest and was rearrested about three months later.
On Monday, Mr. Walston accepted an agreement to plead guilty to identity theft, obtaining money by false pretenses, and failing to appear. Judge Tasha D. Scott accepted Mr. Walston’s plea and imposed an agreed sentence of one year to serve in prison, plus 15 years suspended on the conditions that Mr. Walston complete 10 years of uniform good behavior and pay restitution to the credit union following his release.
“Mr. Walston stole a significant amount of money, with potentially ruinous and life-altering consequences for the victim,” said Commonwealth’s Attorney Ramin Fatehi. “Fortunately, the credit union made the victim whole, but Mr. Walston must serve his time in prison and must pay back to the credit union the money that he stole. We will continue to prosecute not only those who steal with a gun but those who will steal by fraud.”
Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney W. Joshua Holder prosecuted Mr. Walston’s case on behalf of the Commonwealth, and Norfolk Police Officer Timothy D. Santos led the investigation.
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