Indianapolis man accused of stealing chief deputy’s credit card information

An Indianapolis man arrested Thursday on credit card fraud charges likely would have been caught regardless of the victim in the case.

But in allegedly making fraudulent charges to the credit card of Putnam County Chief Deputy Matt Demmings, 25-year-old Richard Wimberly III might just have ensured himself a more swift arrest and trip to the Parke County Jail.

Authorities arrested Wimberly at the Indianapolis International Airport Thursday as he was attempting to board a flight to Las Vegas.

Richard Wimberly III

Parke County deputies made the arrest, as Demmings is a Parke County resident, but assisting in the investigation were the Putnam County Sheriff’s Department, Indiana State Police and the Indianapolis Airport Authority.

Putnam County’s official involvement in the case came about Tuesday morning, when Demmings came to work talking of fraudulent charges on his credit card, including an upcoming ATV tour package in las Vegas.

“There was a direct conflict,” Sheriff Scott Stockton joked, “because the fair’s going on this week. Matt can’t be in two places at once.”

There were actually three fraudulent charges — the Las Vegas ATV tour, one at an out-of-town Pizza Hut and one at Topgolf in Fishers.

Demmings knew he had made none of them.

Besides a call to the credit card company, authorities began reaching out to some federal partners for help in tracking down this kind of information.

“We got a name on the ATV tour package on this Richard Wimberly,” Demmings said.

Two days later, police caught up with Wimberly at the airport, arresting him on a Parke County warrant issued the day before.

Searching his backpack and suitcases, authorities found approximately $4,300 in cash, $3,000 worth of new name-brand clothing items, about 25 gift cards that were recoded with stolen credit card information from different victims and THC edibles.

It is unclear how many other victims may be involved in the case.

Wimberly was charged with credit card fraud and identity deception. He was booked in the Parke County Jail.

Praising the work of all agencies involved, Stockton tried to emphasize that Wimberly’s ultimate arrest was not tied to who the victim was.

“I want to make sure the public realizes that it’s not that Matt Demmings, chief deputy, was the victim — it’s that they had a good, solid lead,” Stockton said.

In many of these cases, by the time a card holder realizes that he or she has been defrauded, the item is purchased and delivered and there’s no way to trace the perpetrator.

In this case, investigators were fortunate that Wimberly left clues.

“I’ve been working financial crimes for 20 years and I was floored that this guy was so reckless,” Stockton said.

The sheriff also praised Matt Demmings, private citizen, for being responsible with his finances.

“The primary thing, which Matt did, is to check your monthly statement and look at every purchase,” Stockton said.

Demmings also emphasized that this happened while he never lost his physical credit card.

“I never lost my card,” Demmings said. “It’s still in my wallet. It’s canceled, but it was never off my person.”

Wimberly made his initial appearance in Parke Circuit Court Thursday. A not-guilty plea was entered and bond was set at $10,000, cash only.