Three Brooklyn Residents Charged In Counterfeit Credit Card Scheme
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - Three residents of Brooklyn, NY, have been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of conspiracy to traffic in counterfeit credit cards, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today.
The five-count superseding indictment named Ramar J. Gardiner, 33; Brent Kevin Hercules Antoine, 35; and Jean A. Seraphin, a/k/a Allen DeBrosse, 31, as defendants.
According to the superseding indictment, on March 3, 2010, Gardiner, Antoine and Seraphin obtained counterfeit credit cards to purchase approximately $28,000 in gift cards at Giant Eagle and Walmart stores in Western Pennsylvania.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of 21 years in prison, a fine of $1,250,000, or both for defendants Gardiner, Antoine and Seraphin. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Gregory C. Melucci is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The United States Secret Service and the Scott Township Police Department conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
