District Attorney Brown said, “Identity theft is a financial plague afflicting millions of victims and costing billions of dollars in losses to consumers, business and financial institutions. In this particular case, the victim – who was a complete stranger to the defendants – had over the years established for himself and his family one of the best credit rating scores a person could possibly achieve. In just a matter of months, it is alleged, the defendants destroyed it, leaving his credit in shambles. It could take the victim months or even years to reestablish his good credit.”

District Attorney Brown identified the defendants as Emerick Martin and his wife, Donna Martin, both 42. Each has been charged with second-degree attempted grand larceny, second-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument, first-degree identity theft, first-degree falsifying business records, first-degree scheme to defraud, and third-degree, unlawful possession of personal identification information. If convicted, each defendant faces up to seven years in prison.

The District Attorney said that the investigation began earlier this year when the Rosedale homeowner discovered that someone was attempting to obtain a $180,000 second mortgage on his home and made a complaint to the District Attorney’s Economic Crimes Bureau, which conducted an investigation that led to the defendants’ arrest and the filing of criminal charges.

District Attorney Brown said that, according to the charges, the defendants took out two mortgages, totaling $1,123,000, on a residence located at 266 Pine Acres Boulevard in Dix Hills, Long Island, using the name and social security number of the victim, David Clarke. Thereafter, on December 19, 2006, it is charged, the defendants, posing as David Clarke and Donna Clarke, and a third unapprehended individual, went to a Westbury, Long Island, mortgage broker and requested a second mortgage of $180,000 on the real Mr. Clarke’s Rosedale property. At the mortgage closing on January 11, 2007, the defendants allegedly presented a forged driver’s license in the name of David Clarke and completed the paperwork by supplying the actual loan number, job information, telephone number and addresses of the real Mr. Clarke.

The District Attorney said that it is further alleged that the two defendants went to a Jamaica, Queens, auto dealership on December 23, 2006, and asked to purchase a 2007 Mercedes Benz S550 for $90,000 on credit in the name of David Clarke and requested that the vehicle’s title be placed in Donna Martin’s name. In filling out the loan application, it is alleged that the defendants provided the social security number of the real Mr. Clarke and a forged driver’s license, also in the name of Mr. Clarke. The loan, however, was denied when the defendants could not produce a valid driver’s license.