Louisville Pastor and Associate Charged in Multi-County Credit Card Theft Ring
Louisville Metro Police (LMPD) have arrested a local pastor and an associate in connection with a string of credit card thefts targeting shoppers, primarily at grocery stores. Authorities believe the pair may be responsible for numerous unreported incidents.
According to Sergeant Keeling of the LMPD 3rd Division,the suspects,identified as Mozee and Porter,employed a specific tactic to avoid detection. “They would go into stores, like they were shopping, kind of to blend in,” Keeling explained. ”They would leave without even making purchases, so it was obvious they were there just to make the thefts.”
Following the thefts,the pair would instantly visit stores like Walgreens to purchase gift cards. To further conceal their activities, they would change clothes and attempt to appear unconnected while committing the fraudulent purchases. “They were also kind of trying to appear that they weren’t with each other when they were doing the crimes, which is something we picked up on on the video,” Keeling added.
Police learned that Mozee and Porter are friends who met at the gym. Mozee, whose name is prominently displayed on signage at The New Christian Church of Jesus Christ, was arrested Sunday as he was leaving for church services. WAVE News attempted to reach someone at the church for comment but received no response.
Both men are facing charges of theft by unlawful taking, fraudulent use of credit cards, engaging in organized crime, and trafficking in financial information.
Court records reveal a history of similar offenses for Mozee, dating back to 2009 in multiple counties. In 2015, he faced comparable charges in Jefferson County, ultimately accepting a plea deal that resulted in five years of probation.
During questioning, Mozee reportedly confessed to years of involvement in this type of criminal activity.”He just let us no that he’s done it for years,” Sergeant Keeling stated. “And,according to him,he’s done it thousands of times.”
Currently, three victims have come forward reporting their wallets stolen while shopping at grocery stores. Police are investigating a fourth potential case. However,investigators believe the number of victims is substantially higher,as fraudulent charges are often reimbursed by banks without a formal report being filed.
LMPD is urging anyone who believes they may have been targeted by Mozee and porter to contact the 3rd Division tip line at 502-574-2135.
Sergeant Keeling also emphasized the importance of community vigilance, particularly in protecting vulnerable populations. “If you see someone that’s, you know, the elderly person in the grocery store that’s shopping, you know, try to help them, prevent them from being a victim, and kind of look out for them,” he said. “And if they have purses open, and things like that, you know, they grew up in a time that we didn’t grow up in. They feel a lot more comfortable out in public, and sadly, society has changed a little bit. So, if you see someone who looks vulnerable, you know, say something to them, and maybe give them the advice of closing up their purse, or something like that, to help protect them.”