An Oil City man is facing numerous felony counts for stealing the identity and personal effects of an inmate at the Venango County jail.
Franklin police said in a criminal complaint they responded last November to the jail where an inmate said in October 2022 he relinquished his personal property, including financial cards, to his former cellmate, Chaiys White, 24, who was being released at that time, so White could deliver the property to the inmate’s girlfriend.
The inmate then showed police his bank statements showing the financial cards were used between Oct. 3 and Oct. 26, 2022, for 19 unauthorized transactions totaling $5,754.32, the complaint said.
Police interviewed White, and he said he still had the personal property and claimed the cards were used for rent and commissary as the other man directed him to per a written agreement, the complaint said.
White was charged with 19 felony counts each of access device issued to another who did not authorize use, identity theft and forgery-alter writing, and two felony counts of theft by unlawful taking of movable property.
He was arraigned Friday and placed in the Venango County jail after being unable to post bail, and his preliminary hearing is scheduled Wednesday in Central Court.
