Dunnellon man, 28, arrested on a multitude of fraud-related charges
Mugshot graphic courtesy of CCSO.
Citrus County, Florida - On August 16, 2023, the Citrus County Sheriff's Office (CCSO) arrested 28 year-old Austin Sellars, of Dunnellon, Florida following an investigation by the agency that resulted in the traffic stop of a fraudulently purchased truck and the arrest of Sellars on numerous fraud-related charges.
The investigation began on May 02, 2023, when the CCSO responded to the scene of a vehicle burglary where the victim's wallet had been stolen which contained the victim's driver's license, credit and debit cards, and cash. The victim's work iPhone and iPad had also been stolen.
As the investigation progressed, the victim reported suspicious activity on his credit report, and it appeared that the suspect - later identified as Sellars - had used the victim's stolen identification to purchase a vehicle through Carvana on June 8, 2023. Sellars had also attempted to acquire a personal loan for home improvements using the victim's stolen Florida driver's license.
During the traffic stop, Sellars was found to be in possession of multiple credit and debit cards that belonged to 16 different victims; 3 of the credit or debit cards belonged to a victim the CCSO was already in contact with concerning fraudulent activity on credit and debit cards in their name.
After Sellars was taken into custody, CCSO Community Crimes Unit (CCU) detectives served a search warrant at his residence, where they located a large duffle bag full of mail, none of which belonged to Sellars.
Sellars was arrested on the followig charges: 2 counts of criminal use or possession of another person's personal identification information, 16 counts of unlawful possession of a stolen debit card or credit card, theft of a motor vehicle, and driving while license suspended. His bond was set at $102,500.
This investigation is ongoing and may lead to additional charges.
"It is important to be vigilant, monitoring things such as your credit report regularly to be sure no one is attempting to steal your identity," said Citrus County Sheriff Mike Prendergast. "Our CCU detectives have already begun sorting through the collected evidence, which includes checks, W2 forms, health and car insurance cards, court papers, and several other sensitive documents Sellars had collected. Thankfully, Sellars has now been apprehended, and we can begin contacting these victims and bringing closure to everyone involved."