A Statesville man has been arrested on several felony charges following an investigation by the Iredell County Sheriff’s Office. James Lanier Smith, Jr., 60, who is listed as homeless, was taken into custody on one count of larceny, five counts of identity theft, and six counts of obtaining property by false pretenses.
The investigation began on March 19 when the Sheriff’s Office received a report from a local business owner regarding the theft of tools valued at several thousand dollars. The tools were taken from a work vehicle parked on Shinnville Road in Cleveland, located in southeastern Iredell County. In addition to the stolen tools, business credit cards inside the vehicle were reported missing and had been used to make multiple fraudulent purchases at various locations between February 19 and March 19.
Detectives identified Smith as the suspect, noting that he was employed by the victim and was the only person with access to the vehicle at the time of the theft. Investigators also determined that Smith was responsible for the fraudulent use of the stolen credit cards.
Warrants were issued for Smith’s arrest, and he was taken into custody on March 21. He was booked into the Iredell County Detention Center and issued a $75,000 secured bond. Court appearances have been scheduled for April 4 and April 16.
The investigation remains ongoing as authorities continue to gather evidence related to the case.
