Lee v. State

962 S.W.2d 171, 1998 Tex. App. LEXIS 321, 1998 WL 34148
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedJanuary 15, 1998
DocketNo. 01-96-00648-CR
StatusPublished
Cited by9 cases

This text of 962 S.W.2d 171 (Lee v. State) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Lee v. State, 962 S.W.2d 171, 1998 Tex. App. LEXIS 321, 1998 WL 34148 (Tex. Ct. App. 1998).

Opinions

OPINION

NUCHIA, Justice.

On May 15, 1996, a jury found appellant, Lindley R. Lee, guilty of the offense of credit card abuse. The trial court assessed punishment at two years in prison, probated for five years, a $500 fine, community service, and a 60-day boot camp term. We affirm.

BACKGROUND

On September 23, 1995, appellant went to a Neiman-Mareus store and tried to purchase $438.41 worth of merchandise by presenting a “manipulated” American Express card. Upon entering the store, appellant and another individual went to the Polo department, and quickly began picking up a large amount of merchandise. Velma Raty, the sales associate at the Polo department, asked the appellant if she could help him, or if he would like a fitting room to try on his selections. Appellant said “no,” that he was just looking, and then continued picking up clothes. Raty thought the behavior was suspicious.

When appellant finished picking out clothing, he took merchandise valued over $400 to Raty and presented an American Express card. The card had the name of Alan Thang Nguyen on the front. Raty passed the card through the electronic device which reads the magnetic tape on the back of the card and charges the purchase to the account number.

Jose Rodriguez, Neiman’s loss-prevention investigator, monitored appellant and his friend via video surveillance from the time they entered the store. Rodriguez was suspicious of appellant because appellant’s quick selection of merchandise was a “calling card” that there was a problem.

When appellant presented the credit card to Raty, she called Rodriguez for authorization, and gave him the account number on the face of the card. Rodriguez called the American Express fraud department and asked them to run the card number on the face of the card. American Express could not verify that the card was fraudulent, so Rodriguez told Velma Raty to approve the transaction if appellant could produce identification. Appellant could not produce a driver’s license or any other form of identification. Raty asked appellant how he got to Neiman Marcus if he did not drive, and he responded that his friend drove.

The transaction was voided, and appellant took the card and left the store. Jose Rodriguez followed appellant and saw him enter a vehicle on the driver’s side, and start the car. Rodriguez recorded appellant’s license plate number before appellant drove the car away.

Upon examining the records of the transaction, Rodriguez learned that the number imprinted on the front of the card did not match the name and number encoded in the magnetic strip on the back of the card. The card number on the front belonged to Alan Thang Nguyen. According to American Express, Nguyen’s account was closed. The magnetic tape on the back of the card contained a different account number. This account number was active, and belonged to [173]*173Michelle Ann Smith. Upon learning these facts, Rodriguez turned the investigation over to American Express, and eventually to the Harris County Sheriffs Department. Appellant was arrested, but the credit card was not recovered.

Alan Bolton, a special investigator for American Express, testified at trial that the number and name on the front of the card did not match the magnetically encoded account number on the back of the card. Bolton explained that this condition indicated that the card had been manipulated by special electronic equipment and was part of a scheme to prevent the presenter from having to pay the bill.

Appellant was tried, and found guilty of credit card abuse. Appellant urges two points of error.

DISCUSSION

Legal Sufficiency

Appellant challenges the legal sufficiency of the evidence to support the guilty verdict on the grounds that there was no evidence in the record that the cardholder alleged in the indictment was the cardholder of the card presented by appellant.

When conducting a legal sufficiency review, we must view the evidence in the light most favorable to the verdict. Martinez v. State, 924 S.W.2d 693, 696 (Tex.Crim.App.1996). Under this standard of review, the issue is whether any rational trier of fact could find the essential elements of the crime beyond a reasonable doubt. Jackson v. Virginia, 443 U.S. 307, 317-18, 99 S.Ct. 2781, 2788, 61 L.Ed.2d 560 (1979); Martinez, 924 S.W.2d at 696; Green v. State, 891 S.W.2d 289, 297 (Tex.App.—Houston [1st Dist.] 1994, pet. refd). If there is evidence that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, and if the trier of fact believes the evidence, we are not in a position to reverse the judgment on sufficiency of evidence grounds. Moreno v. State, 755 S.W.2d 866, 867 (Tex.Crim.App.1988); Reece v. State, 878 S.W.2d 320, 325 (Tex.App.—Houston [1st Dist.] 1994, no pet.).

In determining the sufficiency of the evidence, we weigh the evidence against a correct jury charge. Malik v. State, 953 S.W.2d 234, 240 (Tex.Crim.App.1997). The jury was properly charged under Tex. Penal Code Ann. § 32.31(b)(1)(A), “a person commits an offense if with intent to obtain a benefit fraudulently, he presents or uses a credit card with the knowledge that the card has not been issued to him and with knowledge that the card is not used with the effective consent of the cardholder.” Tex. Penal Code Ann. § 32.31(b)(1)(A) (Vernon 1994). A “cardholder” is defined as “the person named on the face of a credit card or debit card to whom or for whose benefit the card is issued.” Tex Penal Code Ann. § 32.31(a)(1) (Vernon 1994). A “credit card” is defined as “an identification card, plate, coupon, book, number, or any other device authorizing a designated person or bearer to obtain property or services on credit. ‘Credit card’ includes the number or description of the device if the device itself is not produced at the time of ordering or obtaining the property or service.” Tex Penal Code Ann. § 32.31(a)(2) (Vernon 1994).

Appellant argues that because Michelle Ann Smith’s name was not on the front of the “manipulated” credit card, she is not the cardholder, and the evidence is therefore insufficient. Appellant cites several cases in support of his point. However, these cases address the situation where a second party is issued an “extra” card on an account, and this card is abused. See Harrell v. State, 852 S.W.2d 521, 524 (Tex.Crim.App.1993); Jones v. State, 611 S.W.2d 87, 89 (Tex.Crim.App.1981); Colley v. State, 893 S.W.2d 298, 300 (Tex.App.—Houston [1st Dist.] 1995, pet. refd); Jefferson v. State, 701 S.W.2d 323, 324 (Tex.App.—Dallas 1986, pet. refd).

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962 S.W.2d 171, 1998 Tex. App. LEXIS 321, 1998 WL 34148, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/lee-v-state-texapp-1998.