A 27-year-old Ocala woman was arrested after her ex-boyfriend noticed numerous unauthorized bank transactions from his account that totaled nearly $22,000.
On December 7, 2021, an Ocala Police Department officer contacted a male victim in reference to a theft. The victim stated that he was injured during the previous year, and he had provided his ex-girlfriend, Lexey Lou Pinkerton, with access to his bank account to help pay his bills.
The victim advised that he reviewed his bank account and noticed 77 unauthorized transactions, totaling $21,900, that were made to Pinkerton. The transactions occurred between April 28, 2021, and December 6, 2021.
The OPD report indicated that the victim also noticed approximately $2,000 worth of fraudulent debit card purchases, though he was reimbursed for these transactions shortly after he reported them to the bank.
The victim told the officer that he confronted Pinkerton about the unauthorized transactions, and she was apologetic. He stated that she promised to pay the money back to him.
The officer reviewed bank statements regarding the 77 transactions, and the OPD report indicated that each payment listed “Lexey Pinkerton” as the recipient.
On Wednesday, May 4, 2022, the officer brought Pinkerton to the police station for an interview. Pinkerton admitted that she was previously helping the victim pay his bills while they were living together. She claimed that their relationship ended in April of 2021, and she moved out of his residence.
The officer informed Pinkerton that the 77 transactions were completed after she had moved out of the victim’s residence. Pinkerton told the officer that the funds were transferred to her bank account in order to pay some of the victim’s bills.
When asked how much of the $21,900 was used to pay those bills, Pinkerton advised that approximately half of those funds went towards the bills. The remainder of the funds, according to Pinkerton, were used for herself.
Pinkerton was arrested, transported to Marion County Jail, and she was later released on $5,000 bond. She is facing a felony charge for grand theft (greater than $20,000 but less than $100,000).
A court date has not been scheduled yet, according to jail records.