Gresham woman faces 16 counts of identity theft

$10,000 cash bond, $20,000 signature bond for Straughter
By: 
Luke Reimer
Reporter

A 47-year-old Gresham woman is facing 16 counts of identity theft after law enforcement had charged her on Aug. 2.

Fala Straughter faces six years in prison and $10,000 in fines for each count if convicted.

Straughter was charged Aug. 2 in Shawano-Menominee County Circuit Court, where Judge William Kussel Jr. set a cash bond of $10,000 and a signature bond of $20,000. A status conference for Straughter was scheduled for Aug. 10.

According to the criminal complaint, on July 25, a Stockbridge-Munsee police officer was notified of a fraud complaint with enrollment in Bowler. Nathaniel Hammed had allegedly received an enrollment card after using their brother’s information for tribal gas discounts. The brother was allegedly not aware that the enrollment card was obtained, using his information.

According to the tribal worker who filled out the application, Hammed’s mother, Shellie Samuel who filled out the card, said that Straughter had possession of the enrollment card.

On July 25, a Stockbridge-Munsee officer met Straughter at her residence, where they stated that they were retrieving the enrollment card from her. She allegedly stated that she had to find it from her husband’s stuff.

The officer allegedly left while Straughter searched for the card. When another officer returned to Straughter’s residence later that day to retrieve the card, she did not answer the door, according to the complaint.

In a July 25 interview with Hammed, he allegedly said that “you’d have to talk to my attorney” in reference to a question about if they used their brother’s identity to apply for the card.

In a July 26 interview with Samuel, she allegedly stated that on March 2, she went with Hammed to get an identification card, so he would not continue to use hers for a discount on gas. She stated that she allegedly thought that Hammed used his brother’s information because he did not want his name out there, due to Hammed’s previous charge in Florida. When asked who used the card once it was given to Hammed, Samuel allegedly said that she did not believe that Hammed was using it, but Straughter was using it.

In jail audio from July 27, it was stated that Hammed allegedly said that they needed the card for identification and not for the tribal discount.


lreimer@newmedia-wi.com