Las Cruces police have arrested a married couple suspected of illegally possessing credit cards they alleged to have found on the side of the road.
Ruby Valdez, 32, and Boonmai “Lee” Irvin, 45, were arrested Tuesday and both are charged with a fourth-degree felony. Valdez is charged with fraudulent receipt of a credit card while Irvin is charged with fraudulent transfer of a credit card. Additional charges are possible.
At about noon on Tuesday, Jan. 30, Las Cruces police were dispatched to a reported auto burglary and the subsequent fraudulent use of a credit card at the Pizza Hut restaurant at 1492 N. Main St. Officers learned that the victim received notification on his cell phone that his stolen credit card was used to purchase home delivery of a pizza from the store.
Officers learned the order was placed by a Ruby Valdez and the delivery address was at 1865 W. Picacho Avenue, Valdez and Irvin’s address. The LCPD officer went to the address and made contact with Valdez who confirmed that she used her cell phone to place the pizza order.
The victim also received information that someone tried using his stolen credit card at the One Stop Smoke Shop at 570 S. Valley Dr. Officers learned from an employee at One Stop that a couple entered the store and tried to purchase $124 worth of products using a credit card that was declined. The couple then produced several additional credit cards under the victim’s name and all those cards were also declined.
Irvin indicated to police that he and Valdez found several credit cards on the ground as they walked to the Community of Hope at 999 W. Amador Ave. Instead of trying to find their rightful owner, Irvin indicated that he and Valdez tried using the cards at the Smoke Shop and for placing the order from Pizza Hut.
Officers obtained consent to search the couple’s apartment and found the victim’s credit cards inside a freezer.
Valdez and Irvin were booked into the Dona Ana County Detention Center where they are both initially being held without bond.
Information from Las Cruces Police