6 charged in identity theft, credit card scheme, DA says

Six people have been charged in connection with an alleged identity theft scheme that led to more than $25,000 in fraudulent Lowe's credit card charges, Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney said.

Ananda Gabriel, 23, of Patchogue, Aameer Waight, 22, of Central Islip, Abilio Sanchez, 20, of Huntington Station, Anthony Colon, 25, of Bay Shore, Rashad Provost, 23, of Mastic Beach, and Jonothan Lynce, 22, of Central Islip, allegedly used the identities of people from across Suffolk to open Lowe’s store credit card accounts, according to a news release from Tierney's office.

They used the accounts to purchase more than $25,000 of merchandise from various Lowe’s locations throughout Suffolk, including Commack, Bay Shore, Farmingdale, Medford and Stony Brook, the release said.

Suffolk police arrested the six defendants Tuesday on a range of charges, including felony grand larceny and identity theft. They were arraigned Tuesday before District Court Judge Steven Weissbard.

The judge released the six without bail, according to the release. All are due back in court later this month.

The alleged scam operated between October and February, Tierney said.

"These arrests allege a pattern of identity theft that represents a significant breach of personal security for victims across the United States," Tierney said. "Charges of identity theft often intersect with retail theft, as stolen identities are often used to make fraudulent purchases, potentially leading to substantial losses for merchants as well as headaches for consumers."