Third suspect in ID theft ring arrested

ST. PETERSBURG (FOX 13) - The third suspect in an identity theft scam in St. Petersburg was arrested Friday. Police say at least 18 people's credit card information was stolen during the year-long scheme.

St. Petersburg police said they arrested Isabelle Denise Dallas, 51, Friday. Her alleged accomplices - her 32-year-old daughter, Jessica Danielle Dallas, and her friend, 37-year-old Chantelle Jones - were already under arrest.   

Police said Isabelle Dallas worked for a magazine company in Pinellas County, and when people subscribed over the phone, Dallas would take their credit card information and pass it along to her daughter, who would then open cable and utility accounts with the cards.  

"We found 18 different credit cards either used or attempted to be used since November of last year," said Sgt. Kevin Smith with St Petersburg police, who first began investigating the Dallas family after an identity theft complaint in Gulf Port was linked to their home address.

Sgt. Smith said Jessica Dallas also used one of the credit cards to put some money on a commissary account for her boyfriend, who was in the Pinellas County Jail.

Most of the trio's victims were out of state.

"This is a horrible nightmare and I've lived if for the whole year!" Eileen Mattioli told FOX 13 News. She is one of Dallas' alleged victims. 

Meanwhile, police said after Dallas' friend, Chantelle Jones got involved in the scam, she was seen on surveillance cameras shopping with fraudulent credit cards at local CVS, WaWa and Winn Dixie stores. Jones also allegedly bought $4,328 worth of furniture from Aaron's Rentals. Some of that money was likely Mattioli's.

"It's not fair! You people that are doing this are not only destroying your lives, but other people's lives," Mattioli said.

Thankfully, she was able to recover most of the money stolen from her, but said it wasn't easy. The other 17 victims may not have been as lucky.

"I think that they are evil people. And they are going to face jail time…" Mattioli said. "I'm very lucky the St. Pete Police Department helped me."

Jones and Jessica Dallas were arrested and charged with scheming to defraud and fraudulent use of personal identification information. Jones had two outstanding warrants as well.

Isabelle Denise Dallas faces charges of scheme to defraud. All three women are in the Pinellas County Jail.