Gillette man accused of stealing county resident's identity

Justin Ross Hogan of Gillette has been bound over to District Court on five felony charges and one misdemeanor count of identity theft. The alleged victim in all six counts is a resident of Crook County.

On August 23, 2018, Crook County Sheriff’s Office dispatch provided a report of credit card fraud to a Sheriff’s Office deputy and advised that the alleged victim is a resident of this county. The deputy made contact with the victim at his residence, where he claimed that six credit accounts had been opened in his name beginning in September, 2017, without his knowledge or consent.

According to court reports, the victim stated he had been unaware of the credit accounts until he recently tried to purchase a camper trailer and the dealer ran his credit.

The credit report allegedly contained the victim’s social security number and date of birth and shows the six credit reports being opened. The victim stated that he pays most bills with cash and does not shop online and does not know how or when his personal information was obtained.

Of the six accounts, the amounts charged varied from $10 to $4418.

Hogan was bound over on five felony counts of “unauthorized use of personal identifying information” in an amount of $1000 or more, each carrying a maximum penalty of ten years’ incarceration, a $10,000 fine or both; and one misdemeanor count of unauthorized use of personal identifying information in an amount under $1000.