New York men charged with Wheeling fraud

Two New York men arrested in Wheeling were ordered held on $150,000 bail each Thursday on charges of identity theft and possession of a fraudulent credit or debit card.

Police arrested Zacky Taylor, 25, of Copiague, New York, and Prince Omigie, 27, of Brooklyn, New York, about 4:30 p.m. Monday at a Wheeling Walmart after employees reported the two men used fraudulent credit cards to make purchases, said Cook County Assistant State's Attorney David Shin.

During interviews with police, the defendants said they had "flown to Chicago from New York for the sole purpose of using fraudulent credit cards," Shin said.

The purchases at the Wheeling Walmart and at four Cook County Target stores totaled more than $18,000, Shin said.

Prosecutors say Taylor used a fraudulent credit card to load $800 onto a Walmart gift card. Omigie attempted to load $800 on a Walmart gift card using several different fake cards but the transactions were declined, prosecutors said. Police recovered 16 Target gift cards worth $1,000 each, which they say defendants purchased using fraudulent credit or debit cards. Shin said.

Taylor's background includes a 2013 arrest in Rhode Island on charges of theft and fraudulent use of a credit card. Omigie was indicted in New Jersey in 2013 on forgery and fraudulent use of a credit card among other charges, prosecutors said. He also has convictions for DUI and misdemeanor possession of marijuana out of New York, prosecutors said.

Both men must post 10 percent of their bail to be released. They appear back in court on Oct. 9.