Bradenton man charged with 104 identity theft felonies. There may be more victims, cops say

A 23-year-old Bradenton man faces 104 felony identity theft charges and evidence suggests there are more victims, according to the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies say Cristopher Crouch was initially arrested in February on fraud charges. As the result of an ongoing investigation, the number of charges now total more than 100.

“Through a variety of investigative means detectives determined Crouch, dating back to August of 2019, used the victim’s personal information to obtain bank accounts and create credit accounts at Dicks Sporting Goods, Lowes, Home Depot, Bealls, and Marshalls,” the sheriff’s office said Wednesday.

Deputies say in each case, Crouch created a fake driver’s license using the victim’s personal information.

“He then went to the businesses to create the accounts and would purchase expensive items immediately after being approved for the accounts,” the sheriff’s office said.

A search warrant was executed at Crouch’s apartment at 4565 71st St. W. and detectives say they found more evidence that linked Crouch to other identity theft victims. Detectives found evidence of fake credit card applications, account takeovers, an attempt to launder a stolen vehicle and fake bank accounts with the names of other victims.

“The investigation also uncovered that Crouch used a stolen identity to purchase cellphones and rent the apartment he was residing in — attempting to create an additional layer of anonymity between himself and the crimes,” the sheriff’s office said.

Crouch’s 104 felonies stem from seven cases with a total 28 victims.

Crouch remains in custody on bonds totaling more than $150,000.

Charges include 41 counts of fraudulent use of personal identity and 18 additional counts of the victim being over the age of 60. Other charges include seven counts of uttering a forged instrument, three counts of bank fraud, two counts of grand theft and one count of motor vehicle theft, as well as other related felony charges.

This story was originally published June 2, 2021 at 11:07 AM.