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Sheriff: 2 men arrested after trying to buy car using someone else's name

UNION COUNTY, N.C. — Two men were arrested Tuesday afternoon in Union County after deputies said they tried to purchase a car using someone else’s identity.

Authorities with the Union County Sheriff’s Office identified the men Wednesday as 26-year-old Barrington Jovan Llewellyn, of Charlotte, and 34-year-old Antoine Valentino Miller, of Orlando, Florida.

Officials said a South Carolina man told them that an identity theft protection company had notified him of a credit history check that had been run using his name at a car dealership.

The victim told officials that he called the dealership, Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram of Indian Trial, and found out that his name had been used on a credit application for a vehicle purchase.

Officials said employees at the dealership told the man that someone had been calling them about the status of the application.

Deputies said they went to the business and that the dealership, in cooperation with the Sheriff’s Office, contacted the suspect and told him his application was approved and that he needed to sign some paperwork.

Authorities said a short while later, two men, Llewellyn and Miller, arrived at the dealership in a Land Rover SUV. Miller remained in the vehicle, officials said, while Llewellyn went inside to complete the car purchase.

(Antoine Valentino Miller / Barrington Jovan Llewellyn )

Once inside, officials said Llewellyn showed a South Carolina driver’s license with his photo, but the victim’s personal information.

Both men were taken into custody after the purchase contract was signed and transported to the Union County Jail, deputies said.

Llewellyn remains in jail, officials said, and faces a charge of identity theft and two counts of obtaining property by false pretenses. His first appearance in court is scheduled for Dec. 14.

Authorities said Miller faces one charge of obtaining property by false pretenses and is no longer in custody.

Sheriff Eddie Cathey praised the work of all deputies and detectives involved in the investigation and noted the value of partnerships with businesses such as Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram of Indian Trail. Cathey said the two fraud suspects were identified largely due to the dealership’s cooperation.

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