A Laramie duo accused of charging nearly $5,000 in merchandise to another man’s True Value hardware store account has been released on bond and ordered to avoid psychedelic drugs.
Cassette Krei, who turns 35 this year, and Kory Griffith, who turns 39, each face a maximum of 30 years in prison and $30,000 in fines on allegations they wracked up $4,731 on a Laramie man’s True Value account from February through April.
Krei’s case rose to the felony-level Albany County District Court on Monday; Griffith’s case is still at the lower-level Laramie Circuit Court and is scheduled for a May 29 preliminary hearing.
That $5,000
On Feb. 11, the pair were charging store items to the account, and Krei told an employee at True Value of Laramie that she’s the account holder’s daughter, a store employee later told police.
The pair came in another 17 times throughout late winter and spring, charging merchandise totals ranging from $26.55 to $1,237 each time, according to an evidentiary affidavit filed in the case.
The succession of purchases shown in the affidavit grows larger on average as time passes.
Laramie Police Officer Stephan Roaque contacted the man who owns the account about the fraudulent charges, and the man said he didn’t know Krei or Griffith, and he didn’t give them money to charge the items to his account, reportedly.
Roaque noticed one of his colleagues was investigating a related case in which Krei and Griffith reportedly entered the store April 19 at about 6:19 p.m. and tried to charge the man’s account, but were told the account was closed. So, they returned most of the items they had gathered that day, but allegedly stole some of them valued at about $122.98.
No Spice
Krei has been released on an appearance bond worth $5,000, told to avoid others involved in the case, and told to avoid toxic substances like Spice (a synthetic cannabinoid) or “salvia” (a psychedelic plant), court documents say. She was also told to avoid alcohol and felons, unless the felons are family members.
Griffith’s file shows his release on an unsecured bond of $10,000. His bond order also orders him to stay away from spice and salvia.
Clair McFarland can be reached at clair@cowboystatedaily.com.
