One arrested, four sought over skydiving trip credit card fraud in Rowan County

Matthew Memrick
·1 min read
1

SALISBURY, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — One person from Charlotte has been charged and deputies are searching for four others concerning credit card fraud over a 2023 skydiving trip.

According to the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office, deputies began investigating a stolen credit card report just after Christmas Day, on Dec. 26, 2023, at Piedmont Skydiving in Salisbury.

Investigators learned that in November, multiple people had booked skydiving trips online using credit cards that did not belong to them. The group arrived at Piedmont Skydiving for the trip and completed liability waivers listing their real information, including name, date of birth, address, and driver’s license numbers, the sheriff’s office said.

MORE FROM QUEEN CITY NEWS

Crime & Public Safety

Crews respond to crash involving overturned semi-truck in Asheville

Woman strangled, sexually assaulted outside near Charlotte greenway: CMPD

‘Everyone deserves a second chance’: Hundreds lobby for criminal legal reform, policy changes in NC

The skydiving company photographed the suspects as part of their experience. In December, Piedmont Skydiving notified credit card companies that the real card holders were disputing the charges. Investigators went to the business, obtained the evidence already collected, and later confirmed the identities of the suspects.

Arrest warrants identified Shyia E-Money Gatlin, 23, Maurice Dermont Hunter, Jr., 31, Jaylah Simone Hyter, 24, and Alexis Monique Chisholm, 25, as the suspects.

Each is facing one count of obtaining property by false pretenses, deputies said.

Another suspect, Michael-Chase Gregory Gatling, 24, has warrants for two counts of obtaining property by false pretenses.

Chisholm was arrested on April 24 in Anson County. Authorities took Chisholm to the Anson County Jail under a $1,000 secured bond. The other four suspects are still wanted for arrest.

Anyone with information should call Det. Daniel Fero at 704-216-8702 or Lt. Ryan Barkley at 704-216-8711.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News.