BYU-I student arrested after using roommate’s debit card without her knowledge, police say
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REXBURG — Police arrested a Brigham Young University-Idaho student who they say used a roommate’s financial card to make unauthorized purchases.
On Friday, police arrested 22-year-old Eilis Samantha Murphy, a student from Australia, following an ongoing investigation. Murphy is charged with six felony counts of criminal possession of a financial transaction card.
“She was taking a roommate’s financial transaction card (credit or debit card) and buying a whole bunch of stuff,” Rexburg Police Department Chief Shane Turman tells EastIdahoNews.com.
Police say Murphy spent several hundred dollars on multiple pairs of shoes, video games, video game controllers and a video game console. The purchases were made several months ago at Target in Idaho Falls.
Detectives began investigating Murphy once the roommate became suspicious. Police also say Murphy attempted to use another victim’s financial card to purchase several items online, but those purchases were never shipped from the online retailer.
Murphy was booked into the Madison County Jail, where she later posted a $5,000 bond, according to jail records.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Feb. 26 at the Madison County Courthouse before Magistrate Judge David Hunt.
In Idaho, felony criminal possession of a financial transaction card is punishable by up to five years in prison and a $50,000 fine for each count.