Delaware State Police

Superintendent Colonel William Crotty

Troopers Arrest Two Men for Fraudulent Credit Card Purchases

Date Posted: Thursday, August 24th, 2023

Yesterday the Delaware State Police arrested 19-year-old Ernest Ashlet and 30-year-old Sebastien Mombes, both of Orlando, Florida, as they attempted to purchase car parts in Laurel with illegitimate credit cards.

On August 23, 2023, at approximately 10:05 a.m., state troopers and officers from the Laurel Police Department responded to West Side Auto Parts at 4740 Sharptown Road for a report of someone at the store attempting to buy car parts using several different credit cards. When officers arrived, two suspects immediately drove away in a U-Haul van. Officers gave chase and the van came to a stop on Ellis Grove Road at Collins Lane in Laurel. Driver Ernest Ashlet and passenger Sebastien Mombes were then taken into custody without incident.

Inside the van troopers found a large amount of cell phones, tablets, unused gift cards, and auto parts, along with a credit card scanner and embosser machine. The investigation at West Side Auto Parts showed that the two had used information stolen from six credit cards to try to purchase over $22,000 worth of car parts.

Ashlet and Mombes were taken to Troop 5 and charged with the following crimes:

Possession of a Payment Card Scanning Device (Felony)
Possession of Instruments Facilitating Identity Theft (Felony)
Organized Retail Crime Over $1,500 (Felony)
Possession of Forgery Devices (Felony) – 2 counts
Theft Over $1,500 (Felony) – 5 counts
Unlawful Use of a Payment Card Over $1,500 (Felony) – 5 counts
Conspiracy Second Degree (Felony)
Unlawful Use of a Payment Card Under $1,500
Theft Under $1,500
Receiving Stolen Property Under $1,500 – 2 counts

Ashlet and Mombes were arraigned by Justice of the Peace Court 2, and both were committed to Sussex Correctional Institution on $45,000 cash and $43,000 secured bonds, respectively.