Verde Valley News – A Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office Detective was notified over the weekend by the online bond service used by the Yavapai County Jail that a stolen credit card was used to pay for the $15,000 bond of Kelsey Scott. The bond service informed detectives that additional attempts were made by the same individual to use stolen credit cards to bond out another inmate, Ashley Trancygier, who is in custody on previous drug charges.
Approximately 20 attempts were made to bond Trancygier out using 13 stolen credit cards. The detective immediately began contacting some of the credit card theft victims who reported their information had been stolen. The victims are reported to reside all over the State of Arizona from the Phoenix area to Lake Havasu, and other reaches of the state.
On Monday, March 14, 2022, the Camp Verde Marshals Office made a traffic stop in the parking lot of the Camp Verde Jail, and the driver was Brandon Wigington, the man suspected of using the stolen credit cards. The CVMO arrested Wigington for drug possession. The vehicle Wignington was driving was found to be the subject of a fraudulent purchase in the Phoenix area. During a search of Wigington’s person, a room key for a hotel in Sedona was found in his pocket.
A search warrant for the hotel room in Sedona was obtained and executed by YCSO Detectives and Patrol Deputies. The search resulted in evidence of credit card theft, identity theft and fraud schemes, as well as drugs and drug paraphernalia. Personal identifying information, credit card information, and ledgers found in the room indicate there are likely hundreds if not a thousand victims.
Scott was found in the hotel room, which was purchased using a stolen credit card, and booked under a fake name given by Wigington. Interviews and investigation indicate the information obtained to commit identity theft and credit card theft were purchased on the “Dark Web” by the suspects.
Wigington is facing charges for fraud schemes, possession of a forgery device, aggravated identity theft and fraudulent use of a credit card as well as possession of a dangerous drug. Scott is facing charges for possession of dangerous drugs, conspiring on fraud schemes and aggravated identity theft. Trancygier is also facing charges for conspiracy to commit fraud.
The investigation and extensive follow-up will continue.