Probation and restitution ordered for fraudulent purchases from Aurora jewelry stores

A Cleveland man was sentenced in federal court on Friday to three years probation for his part in fraudulent purchases totaling about $20,000 from two jewelry stores in Aurora.

Judge Sara Lioi also ordered that Jaelen D. Lattimore, 23, pay $14,500 in restitution, according to U.S. Sixth District Court for the Northern District of Ohio records. Lattimore pleaded guilty in March to conspiracy to commit access device fraud. As part of a plea deal, prosecutors agreed to dismiss an access device fraud charge.

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Lattimore and another Cleveland man, Hasan J. Howard Jr., 23, were arrested after the made the purchases using stolen credit card information at the Kay and Zale's jewelry stores at Aurora Farms Premium Outlets on South Chillicothe Road in Aurora. They were found with three Rolex watches, a credit card embossing machine and a .38-caliber pistol in their possession.

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Aurora police filed charges against them in Portage County Municipal Court in Kent and a grand jury indicted them soo after, but county prosecutors dropped the charges in July 2021 after a federal grand jury indicted Lattimore and Howard.

Federal authorities say Howard used stolen credit and bank card information purchased on the "dark web" to make counterfeit cards, which he then passed out to others he recruited. The cards were then used to purchase expensive items and services from approximately 30 jewelry stores in Ohio — including in Cuyahoga County, Akron and Canton — as well as in Pennsylvania. Howard would then often sell the items, using some of the proceeds to pay the others.

Howard pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit access device fraud, access device fraud and aggravated identity theft in March. He was sentenced on July 6 to 74 months in prison and ordered to pay more than $260,000 in restitution.

Two other men involved in the scheme are awaiting sentencing after also pleading guilty in March.

Reporter Jeff Saunders can be reached at jsaunders@recordpub.com.

This article originally appeared on Record-Courier: Man sentenced for fraudulent purchases from Aurora jewelry stores