Statesville duo charged with identity theft | Crime

STATESVILLE, NC (WBTV) – Two men were arrested over the past month after deputies say they stole someone's identity.

Gary Lee Gemes, 42, and Phillip Lang Bowes, 38, both of Statesville, are charged with one count of identity theft, according to a news release from the Iredell County Sheriff's Office.

During the investigation, detectives  received information that the two suspects had retrieved a copy of the victim's birth certificate without the victim's knowledge. The day after the birth certificate was obtained one of the suspects was issued a South Carolina Identification Card using the copy of the birth certificate and social security number, according to the release. 

South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles then used facial recognition software and discovered that Phillip Bowes obtained a fraudulent South Carolina Identification Card.

Bowes was arrested last week and placed in the Iredell County Detention Center under a $10,500 bond.

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