ALBANY – A 28-year-old Brooklyn man was sentenced to up to four years in prison after a jury convicted him of using fake credit cards to purchase some $10,000 worth of gift cards from Lord and Taylor in Crossgates Mall.
Jamal Linton was sentenced by Judge Peter Lynch on Wednesday, July 5, for seven felonies of criminal possession of a forged instrument and the misdemeanor of conspiracy. He was convicted on May 5.
On Oct. 17, 2015, at around 4:24 p.m., Linton conspired with others to use the fake credit cards. The same group, according to District Attorney David Soares, was being investigated for similar incidents to purchase more than $20,000 in gift cards and merchandise.
On each occasion, Linton supplied the credit cards and waited in the vehicle as the co-defendants executed the scheme. They were spotted by security cameras in the store purchasing the wares.
Guilderland police were notified and initiated a traffic stop as the vehicle was leaving the parking lot and the fake credit cards and newly purchased gift cards were recovered in a secret compartment inside the passenger seat of the vehicle.
Assistant District Attorney Shadi Masri of the Financial Crimes Unit prosecuted this case.