May 31—Police arrested a couple Thursday accused of using the stolen identity of an 86-year-old relative to open numerous bank and credit card accounts, according to a statement from Priceville police.
Kristopher James Clemons, 37, and his wife Roxann Hardiman-Clemons, 39, are each charged with first-degree financial exploitation of the elderly, first-degree theft, trafficking in stolen identities and chemical endangerment of a child, Priceville police said . They both remained in the Morgan County Jail Friday in lieu of $210,000 bonds.
Willie Elbert Wherley, 58, was also at Clemons’ residence on Shoal Creek Road when police executed a search warrant Thursday, according to Priceville PD. He is charged with chemical endangerment of a child and remained in the Morgan County Jail Friday in lieu of $10,000 bond.
“Two juveniles who were at the residence have been released into the custody of DHR,” Priceville police said.
Priceville police said they began investigating Kristopher Clemons after he was arrested April 26 and charged with possession of a forged instrument. According to an investigator’s affidavit, Clemons and Hardiman-Clemons had used bank accounts and credit cards belonging to Hardiman-Clemons’ grandfather.
“There appears to be 6 checking accounts and 29 credit/debit cards on the Clemons PayPal account that are in (the grandfather’s) name,” the affidavit reads. According to the affidavit, the grandfather had filed three identity theft reports since 2019 and Clemons had a “substantial” number of stolen identities.
Priceville police said the case remains open because other perpetrators have been identified and are expected to be charged.
– david.gambino@decaturdaily.com or 256-340-2438.
