Howard charged with stealing grandmother’s identity
WAYNESBURG – The same day she was sentenced for embezzling $2,000 from her former employer, a former Greene County woman was arraigned Tuesday on charges she stole her grandmother’s identity and racked up more than $13,000 in credit card debt. Carol Jean Howard, 32, of Sherrill Ford, N.C., formerly of Waynesburg, was arraigned before Magisterial District Judge Lee Watson on numerous felony charges for allegedly applying for two credit cards in her 78-year-old grandmother’s name and incurring charges totaling $13,602.13.
Howard was charged with two felony counts of identity theft, one felony count of theft by unlawful taking, two felony counts of access device fraud and one felony count of computer trespass.
According to a criminal complaint filed Friday, Elizabeth Rohulich of Bobtown told state police on Dec. 20 that she received a letter from her credit card company indicating she was carrying too many cards and excessive balances. Rohulich, who only had a single card in her name, obtained a copy of her credit report, which did not have her address listed, but rather the addresses of Howard, her granddaughter, police said.
Police said two cards were listed on the report that Rohulich had not applied for and itemized statements showed her name as the account holder, but had the former Waynesburg address of Howard. The statements also included charges in North Carolina, where Howard currently resides, police said.
Howard’s preliminary hearing is scheduled for Feb. 15 before Watson. She was released on $50,000 unsecured bond.