A Columbia woman is being charged with identity theft in connection with stealing over two hundred fifty two thousand dollars from a local business owner.
According to court records 31 year old Tanya D. Garay-Contrereas is accused of making several unauthorized transactions from the victim’s debit card between February and September.
According to the Boone County Sheriff’s Department the woman told investigators she used the money to pay her own and other people’s utility and credit card counts.
The maximum penalty for the identity theft charges is 25 years in prison.