Police say a local couple used banking information from an Oil City restaurant to pay utilities and taxes. OIL CITY, Pa. (EYT) — Police say a local couple is in jail for stealing banking information from local victims in two separate incidents. Court documents indicate the Oil City Police Department filed criminal charges against 30-year-old Kent Joseph Frantz , a transient, and 24-year-old Stephanie Katherine Louis King , of Oil City According to a criminal complaint, on March 5, Oil City Police received a report from a restaurant on North Seneca Street in Oil City, Venango County, that unknown individuals had obtained access to their payroll bank account to pay utility bills. Through investigation, police learned the unknown person obtained services by using an access device for $1,096.67 to pay a bill for National Fuel Gas. There was also an attempt to use the said access device to pay delinquent taxes to Venango County for $308.20, the complaint states. Police then served a search warrant on the restaurant’s bank, which revealed that the transaction for the gas bill was found to be for the account belonging to a known male. Officers made contact with the known male, who denied doing the transaction himself. Rather, he stated Kent Frantz “owed” him money and paid his utility bill in return, the complaint indicates. Further investigation into the tax payment revealed it was for the residence in which the same known male resides, the complaint notes. On April 6, OCPD found Frantz and Stephanie King at a gas station in Oil City. Officers were aware of arrest warrants issued for both for unrelated incidents, according to the complaint. Both individuals were taken into custody. During an interview with police, Frantz denied having information regarding the theft and denied knowing how to use the banking information, the complaint states. Police then searched Frantz and King’s property and located multiple items, including papers and documents with financial and/or banking information belonging to known and unknown persons. One of the papers was a blue index card, which had a routing number and bank account number that matched the banking information of the restaurant in Oil City, the complaint indicates. According to a separate complaint, among the other items seized during the above search were various items of banking or financial information that were issued to other persons and did not belong to Frantz or King. Specifically, officers located two personal checks belonging to a known Oil City woman. The checks were made out to Frantz and King in the amount of $180.00 and $107.00. Through investigation, police made contact with the victim, who advised she did not know Frantz or King and that the checks should be considered stolen property, the complaint notes. Other items located included banking routing numbers and account numbers, as well as a debit card belonging to a male, which was not Frantz or King, according to the complaint. In regards to the first case, both Frantz and King were arraigned on the following charges in front of Judge Fish at 9:30 a.m. on April 8: – Receiving Stolen Property, Felony 3 – Access Device Issd to Another Who Did Not Authorize Use, Felony 3 (two counts) – Access Device Issd to Another Who Did Not Authorize Use, Misdemeanor 1 (two counts) Both individuals were then arraigned on the following charges regarding the second case: – Other Reason Access Device Is Unauthorized By Issuer, Misdemeanor 1 – Receiving Stolen Property, Misdemeanor 2 Frantz’s bail was set at $25,000.00 monetary, and King’s was set at $15,000.00 monetary for the first case. Frantz’s bail for the second case was set at $15,000.00 monetary, and King’s was set at $2,500.00. Unable to post bail, both individuals are lodged in the Venango County Prison. Preliminary hearings are scheduled for 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday, April 17, in Venango County Central Court.
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