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RENO - - A woman who worked as a food server at a Reno restaurant was indicted
yesterday by the Federal Grand Jury on credit card fraud charges, announced Daniel G. Bogden,
United States Attorney for the District of Nevada.
MICHELLE LYNN WATSON, aka Michelle Lynn Mireles and Michelle Lynn Butler,
age 48, a resident of Reno, is charged with three counts of Fraudulent Use of Unauthorized
Access Devices and one count of Fraudulently Effecting Transactions with Unauthorized Access
Devices. If convicted, she faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on each Fraudulent
Use count, and up to 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on the Fraudulently Effecting
Transactions count.
It is alleged that between January 1, 2004, and December 31, 2004, MICHELLE LYNN
WATSON obtained information from credit cards that had been provided to her by restaurant
customers, and later used this information to unlawfully make purchases of items costing in
excess of $10,000.
An arrest warrant was issued for WATSON. An initial appearance and arraignment and
plea hearing will be scheduled before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the near future.
The case is being investigated by Special Agents with the United States Secret Service
and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Paul L. Pugliese.
The public is reminded that an indictment contains only charges and is not evidence of
guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has
the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
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