New York man facing felony ID theft charges

A New York City man is facing felony identity theft charges after he allegedly used a fake identification in an effort to get access to a bank account belonging to someone from New Jersey.

James M. Dearinger, 57, of Bronx, New York, is facing two complaints of identity theft after he went to the TD Bank branch at 1402 Lakeshore Road (Route 11) in Gilford last Thursday and attempted to obtain a debit card and a bank statement for an account belonging to a Princeton, New Jersey, man.

Dearinger allegedly showed a bank employee a New Jersey driver’s license. The employee became suspicious and notified Gilford police. The officer who was dispatched to the bank detained Dearinger and spoke to bank employees.

The teller told the officer that Dearinger asked to change the phone number associated with the account in order to obtain a debit card, and that he also tried to get an account statement which would have had confidential information about that particular account holder, according to a probable cause statement filed Friday in Belknap Superior Court.

When questioned by the officer, Dearinger denied showing the New Jersey driver’s license, and refused to answer any other questions without his attorney being present, the statement said.

Dearinger was released from Belknap County Jail on Monday after posting $1,000 cash bail and signing a waiver of extradition. He has requested the court appoint a lawyer to defend him.

One of the charges of identity theft specifies the alleged attempt to obtain the debit card, while the other deals with the allegation that Dearinger tried to get the bank statement.

Identity theft is potentially punishable by 15 years imprisonment.

— Michael Mortensen