Id Theft Kingpin Eludes Police for 6 Years

He lived high on the hog for six years, but never held down a job. He didn’t have a trust fund, or a wealthy lover. He did, however, end up a wanted man. You see, all the credit cards he lived off of weren’t his!

The Hunt for a Con Artist

Jason Brown became known as the kingpin of ID theft, as he slipped from town to town changing his name and searching for new victims. A petty thief turned con man, he racked up at least 13 warrants from six separate agencies, including the New Orleans Police Department, Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office, Hammond Police Department, St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office, Covington Police Department, and Louisiana Probation and Parole.

His six year run from the law came to an end last week when he stole - not an identity - but a TV set, reverting perhaps to his early days. Brown was arrested near Folsom Saturday when he emerged as the prime suspect in the investigation of the stolen TV from a North Columbia Street home, Capt. Jack West, Covington Police spokesman said.

The Chase

Responding officer Eric Magee tracked Brown through information from a CI, and discovered the would be high roller worked at a Folsom area bar. A team of Covington policemen, Folsom Police and St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office immediately took off for the bar, unaware that Brown had left for the day.

As the posse of officers headed northbound on Louisiana Highway 25, Brown, in a 1998 Chevy pickup, passed them headed southbound in the opposite direction. Magee, driving the car at the tail of the law official procession, noticed him and his truck and spun to take up pursuit. Brown immediately turned into a parking lot to avoid detection, but Magee was right behind him.

The Capture

So ended the ’kingpin’s’ spree, as well as the chain of identity theft crimes throughout south Louisiana; Brown was arrested and remains wanted on warrants for a parole violation, but West says that is just the “tip of the iceberg.” said West. Officials expect more victims to come forward and other crimes pointing to Brown, “but with the numerous combinations of aliases he uses, finding the correct warrants is difficult,” West said.

Brown stole credit cards and checks and used profits to buy items to resell. “He’s been living on stolen credit cards since 2002,” West commented. “He’s just been out there on a little crime spree. It’s a little crazy… Identity theft is the crime of the future,” he concluded. “We’re moving to a (paper) moneyless society.”

Remember to Check Your Reports

When you are the victim of a burglary, you may be missing more than valuables. Keeping a list of any papers you may have that could give clues to your identity and keeping the copies locked in a safe can help. Remember to check your credit report often for any charges or accounts opened without your knowledge.