‘Accidental’ credit card charges land Farmington man in trouble

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A 47-year-old Farmington man says it was an accident that he used a credit card belonging to his former employer to pay some of his bills.

According to a complaint filed last week in the Dakota County Attorney’s office, Eric Raymond Martin used the credit card number to pay for electric, cell phone and satellite television bills, among others in June and July. Police were alerted to the charges Aug. 2.

Martin, who had been given the credit card number to make a purchase when he worked for the company several years ago, called one of the company’s co-owners and admitted using the card, though he said his wife made one of the charges. He apologized and said the use of the card was not intentional, but it had been more than two years since he was provided with the credit card number.

Accident or not, the Dakota County Attorney’s office has charged Martin with felony transaction card fraud. If convicted he could spend up to five years in jail and face up to $10,000 in fines.

Driver charged with DWI

A 47-year-old Cannon Falls man faces gross misdemeanor charges of driving while impaired after a Jan. 19 traffic stop in Hampton Township.

A Dakota County Sheriff’s deputy stopped Kenneth Anderson around 11:55 p.m. after noticing him weaving in his lane. According to a complaint filed in the Dakota County Attorney’s office, Anderson smelled of alcohol. He admitted having four beers that night. He failed field sobriety tests. A formal breath test indicated a blood alcohol content of .12.

Anderson was convicted of driving while intoxicated in August of 2009. If convicted this time on either of two charges he could face up to a year in jail and fines of up to $3,000.

Tags: crime and courts, news, farmington