Three arrested for fraud in Lawrence

Used altered credit cards to make purchases in restaurants

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Three young women who are alleged to have made purchases using altered credit cards in several Lawrence restaurants, including Chipolte, McDonald’s and Subway, according to police, were arrested on Jan. 22.
Teshaona Peets-Butcher, of California Avenue in Uniondale; Joycelyn Kumi, of 141st Avenue in Rosedale, both 19, and Taquana Potter, 21, of Highland Place in Yonkers, were caught at the McDonald’s on Rockaway Turnpike following a call about an alleged fraud in progress, police said.
The trio had 85 credit cards which had been re-encoded and an encoder that is used to change credit card numbers. Potter also had what was described by police as a “small plastic bag containing marijuana” in her possession.
Kumi is being charged with 12 counts of possession forged instrument-second degree. Potter is charged with seven counts of possession forged instrument-second degree and unlawful possession of marijuana. Peets-Butcher is charged with five counts of possession forged instrument-second degree.