? Photo from RI House of Representative WebsiteDee DeQuattro
ddequattro@abc6.com
The husband of a State Representative has been arrested by state police on charges of credit card fraud.
Henry Fellela, 55 of Johnston, allegedly stole a Shell Gas card from someone's mailbox in Scituate and used it seventeen times in Rhode Island, Connecticut and New Jersey. The individual alerted authorities to the stolen credit card and State Police identified Fellela as the suspect with the assistance of surveillance videos that showed Fellela using the card and driving away in a vehicle with expired license plates that belonged to his wife.
Fellela made $720.87 in fraudulent purchases, a total of $369.56 were made in Rhode Island. Fellela was arrested on Thursday evening in Johnston he was arraigned by a justice of the peace and was released on $25,000 personal recognizance.
He faces charges of theft-obtaining credit card through fraudulent means, fraudulent use of credit cards, receipt of money, goods and services obtained by fraudulent use of credit cards, and identity fraud. He will appear in court March 14 for a formal arraignment.
This is not Fellela's first run in with the law. In 1996 Fellela pleaded nolo contendere to a charge of fraudulent use of credit cards. State Police Major Michael Winquist said that in the past Fellela has targetted several mailboxes in specific neighborhoods and there is a possibility there are other victims in this current incident. If some one suspects they may be a victim of Fellela they are asked to contect State Police at 401-444-1000.
State Police said that aside from the charges in Rhode Island, Fellela has faced similar charges in other states. He has also been arrested for driving on a suspended license and driving under the influence in the past.
