HOUGHTON, MI— Two people were arrested in Houghton for buying lottery tickets with stolen credit cards.
On November 7, City Police received a report that two suspicious persons purchased lottery tickets and high-end alcohol at a Houghton business. Michigan State Police from the Iron Mountain Post stopped their vehicle in Iron River. Investigation led to the arrest of Shiym Edwards, 28, and Destiny Johnson, 25, both of Akron, Ohio.
Edwards is charged with illegal sale/use of a financial transaction device and habitual offender, 4th offense. Johnson is charged with illegal sale/use of a financial transaction device and habitual offender, 2nd offense.
Both are wanted on similar charges in other areas: Edwards out of downstate Midland, and Johnson out of Wright County, Minnesota. Police say a large-scale, multi-state operation involving the purchase of lottery tickets with stolen credit cards is based in Akron.
The Houghton Police Department received a similar complaint about stolen credit cards as far back as March of this year. Baraga County reported an incident of two suspicious males wearing M-95 masks purchasing a large number of lottery tickets this past Saturday. The Ishpeming, Marquette, and Munising areas have all reported incidents involving stolen credit cards being used to purchase lottery tickets and alcohol.
Anyone with information about similar incidents is asked to contact their local law enforcement agency. A license plate number from the suspect vehicle is particularly helpful.
The Houghton Police Department urges businesses that sell lottery tickets to ask for IDs when people buy them, especially if they use credit cards to purchase large numbers. They also say be aware when people try to enter credit card information manually into the store’s point of sale.
The case remains under investigation.
