Skagit Couple Arrested: Up to 138 victims in 25 Jurisdictions

File Photo
Photo: Amanda Reynaga

Photo: Amanda Reynaga

Skagit County, WA:  Two Skagit County residents have been arrested in connection with a large fraud and  stolen property case in Mount Vernon.

Detectives with the Mount Vernon Police Department  said “to date, we have   identified a total of  138 victims in 25 Jurisdictions,  using 17 different fraudulent credit card numbers.

According to the Probable Cause affidavits obtained through a public information request, Amanda Bryant and Guy Hovander were both arrested on  February 27th, 2015 and held on charges of  Possessing Stolen Property 1st degree and Possession of a controlled substance.   Details of this specific case are below:

The local investigation dates back to May 22nd, 2014  after someone identifying herself as Kayla Joseph called Consumer Rentals in Mount Vernon to arrange to rent some equipment over the phone.

An employee arranged a verbal contract with the person identifying themselves as Kayla Joseph to rent a 2008 John Deer 3120 Tractor, a 2004 Spector tilt bed trailer and a green brush cutter attachment.  The combined value of the three pieces of equipment  is $40,000.00.   Payment in the amount of $954.80  was arranged over the phone and arrangements were made for a person named “John” to pickup the rented equipment two days later. The initial rental contract was scanned and emailed to an e-mail address that had been provided by the person claiming to be Kayla Joseph.

On May 23rd, 2014, the person claiming to be Kayla Joseph re-contacted Consumer Rentals and asked to modify the contract for an additional week of rental.  The Visa Card was charged an additional $663.59 and a $100 damage deposit.  An address of 1113 South 3rd Avenue, Ferndale, WA was provided as the location where the equipment would be used at.

On May 24th, 2014, three males arrived and picked up the equipment.

On June 9th, 2014, the person identifying themselves as Kayla Joseph again called Consumer Rentals wanting to modify the original rental agreement and extend it to a full month ending on June 20th, 2014.  The additional charge for the change in the contract was $2,197.23.  The Visa  was again charged and initially cleared.  Consumer Rentals was advised later in the day that the charge was declined by the bank.  Consumer rentals called and left a message, letting the person claiming to be Kayla Joseph know that the charge was declined. Since that day, Consumer rentals did not receive any response from the person claiming to be Kayla Joseph.  They made repeated attempts to contact her on 6/9, 6/10, 6/21/, 6/26, 6/28, 6/29, and 6/30.  They drove to the address in Ferndale and discovered the address was false.

The information was turned over to Mount Vernon Police department and a search warrant was granted for the phone number and email address used by the person claiming to be Kayla Joseph.  A search of those two accounts yielded information on two additional telephone numbers and email addresses that were owned by Amanda Bryant.   Bryant is linked to the one phone number because she provided it and photo ID to JR Furniture in Bellingham,  during an attempt to purchase furniture with other fraudulent credit cards.   The credit card used to try and purchase the furniture in Bellingham was also used to purchase items at the LaConner Shell Gas Station.   The email addresses are also tied to fraudulent purchases on AuctionTime.com.

In a separate fraud  incident, on 5/23/14, a Trane Heat Pump Furnace and AC Unit were allegedly purchased from Skagit Habitat for Humanity in Mount Vernon by Guy Hovander and Amanda Bryant using a stolen credit card. The price on the furnace was $850.   The name given with the stolen credit card was, Kayla Joseph, an alias used by Amanda Bryant in the previous mentioned case.

On February 27th, 2015, the Skagit County Interlocal Drug Enforcement Unit served a search warrant at the address on 18381 W. Whitmarsh Road in Burlington.  The Trane Heat Pump purchased from Skagit Habitat for Humanity with a fraudulent Credit Card was located in plain sight.  The furnace was the same model number, color and had a price tag situated in the same location as depicted in photos provided by Skagit Habitat for Humanity to detectives.   Also in plain sight was a Ford New Holland Tractor with backhoe valued at $11,000 that had previously been reported stolen in Whatcom County.   A second furnace was located that had been previously stolen from Skagit habitat for Humanity as well.

In a fifth wheel trailer on the property, three packages of white crystal substance was found. It tested positive for methamphetamine during a field test.    Near the fifth wheel trailer a 120 gallon propane tank was found. It belong to Skagit Farmers Supply and had been previously reported stolen from a Dike District Building.  Additional white crystal substance and a large amount of cash was  found in the pocket of some men’s jeans located in a blue 1-ton dual axle Dodge pickup on the property. A field test on the substance also tested positive for Methamphetamine.  The truck is registered to Guy Hovander. According to public records on SkagitCounty.net, Guy Hovander purchased the property on October 30th, 2014 for $160,000.

This story involves multiple jurisdictions and will be updated as the details become available on the other cases associated with the fraud.

Added 4/11: Another story from 2007 we were alerted to has the same suspect using fake bills. The link is here: http://www.komonews.com/news/local/6939007.html?mobile=y

 

 

 

 

 

*As a note: All  suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a Court of Law.

 

 

 

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