Sept. 11, 2017 -- Westchester County District Attorney Anthony A. Scarpino, Jr. announced today that Andre Mendez (DOB 05/25/91) of 444 Avalon Gardens Drive, Nanuet, NY was arraigned in Greenburgh Town Court on Sept. 8, 2017 and was charged with:
- One count of Criminal Possession of Stolen Property in the Third Degree, a class “D” Felony.
The defendant is alleged to have created a synthetic identity using his actual name and date of birth along with the Social Security number of an unsuspecting ten year old victim. He then opened bank accounts to establish credit with that identity. Investigators believe that Mendez was able to use the child’s Social Security number because banks and credit agencies had no record for that number, and therefore were not aware that the number identified a child.
Once these accounts were established, he leased/financed motor vehicles using the same synthetic identity which now could sustain a credit check. On February 1, 2017, the defendant financed a 2017 Toyota Camry SE from Westchester Toyota in Yonkers, NY giving the victim child’s social security number as his own. The following day, he leased a 2017 Honda Accord Sport from White Plains Honda in White Plains, New York using the same synthetic identity.
The defendant made no payments toward either of these vehicles. He had been driving both cars although his license is revoked and insurance lapsed.
This investigation began in May of this year and culminated in the defendant’s arrest this past Friday as he left the Town of Greenburgh Court. He had appeared for an Aggravated Unlicensed Operation in the First Degree and Aggravated Driving While Intoxicated case from March 26, 2017.
He allegedly drove to court in the stolen and fraudulently purchased Toyota. After his arrest, District Attorney’s Office investigators recovered the stolen and fraudulently purchased Honda Accord at an auto body shop in the Bronx. Mendez also has a pending Driving While Intoxicated case out of the City of Yonkers.
This investigation was carried out by investigators from the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office.
He pled not guilty.
The defendant’s bail was set at $50,000 cash or bond.
He faces a maximum of seven years in state prison on the above referenced charge. Further charges are pending.
His next court date is Sept. 12, 2017.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Stefanie DeNise of the Identity Theft Unit.
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In compliance with the Rules of Professional Conduct, Rule 3.6, you are advised that a charge is merely an accusation and that a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Media contact: Robert Wolf
111 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd.
White Plains, NY 10601
Tel: (914) 995-3586
Fax: (914) 995-2116
