By Garrin Marchetti
The Daily News of Newburyport
HAVERHILL— A Haverhill man facing more than 100 counts on various charges, including credit card fraud and identity theft, was arraigned in Salem on Thursday morning after he was indicted last month.
Vincent Leo, 37, pleaded not guilty to all 104 charges at his hearing in Essex Superior Court. He was initially indicted by a statewide grand jury on Nov. 3, following an investigation by Attorney General’s Office into his multiple fraudulent schemes.
“We allege that this defendant ran various sophisticated schemes involving fake prescriptions, the distribution of drugs, stolen identities, and counterfeit credit cards,” Attorney General Martha Coakley said in a statement. “This lengthy and extensive investigation has led to more than 100 charges in connection with his illegal activities.”
According to Coakley’s office, Leo allegedly obtained and distributed more than 10,000 oxycodone tablets over the last two years by creating hundreds of fake prescriptions, using the names of physicians and prescription authorization numbers for various providers to create fake prescription slips.
Leo used his own phone number on the slips, and would even impersonate the physician listed if the pharmacy decided to call him, according to the release.
Leo also was involved in large credit scheme at the Copper House Tavern in Waltham. Authorities say Leo, with the help of restaurant employee Deana Vitale, used a skimming device to obtain customers’ credit card information, which he later used to fake credit cards in those customers’ names.
In total, Leo has been charged with 54 counts of uttering a false prescription, 18 counts of conspiracy to commit identity fraud, 16 counts of identity fraud, three counts each of unlawful distribution of both Class B and Class E substances, three counts of credit card fraud, two counts of attempt to utter a false prescription, two counts of larceny under $250, and one count each of attempt to commit credit card fraud, larceny over $250 and possession of an instrument to produce a credit card.
Judge John Lu set Leo’s bail at $50,000 and scheduled a pretrial hearing on Dec. 12. Leo will be held at Middleton House of Corrections until then.
Back in March, Leo was arrested in Haverhill for purchasing $158 worth of items from McDonald’s and Cumberland Farms using stolen credit card information. Police searched Leo’s 44 Sarah J Circle home and found blank credit cards, a magnetic card swipe reader and photo ID card printer. They also found a safety vest and reversible jacket Leo illegally purchased at Neptune Uniforms and Equipment.
Carrie Kimball Monahan, spokeswoman for the Essex County District Attorney’s Office, said Leo is due in Haverhill District Court on Dec. 12 on charges of credit card forgery.