MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A Cordova man has been accused of buying more than $140,000 worth of cars under someone else’s name.
Police say Marqueze Blackwell went to a couple of dealerships and bought three cars using a fake ID.
In July of 2021, Blackwell purchased a 2017 Infiniti QX60 for $29,977at Gossett Motors on Mount Moriah. The following month, he bought a 2021 Volkwagen Atlas for $51,275 at Gossett Volkswagen on Winchester.
In October, he went back to the Gossett dealership on Mount Moriah and purchased a 2022 Kia Stinger for $61,914.
In all of these purchases, police say Blackwell used a fake Mississippi drivers license with the name Allen Barnes and his picture on it. According to court documents, false documents were submitted stating Blackwell was a manager for TruGreen making $5,000 a month.
Eventually, the Tru Green company was contacted saying they didn’t have an employee by the name Allen Barnes.
Employees called police reporting all three cars as stolen.
The real Allen Barnes told police he didn’t give anyone permission to use his identity, and two dealership employees were able to identify Blackwell in a police lineup.
Southaven police arrested Blackwell after he was caught driving one of the stolen cars. He was booked into the Shelby County jail on Thursday.
Daniel Irwin is with the Better Business Bureau of the Mid-South.
“Well, it’s a crazy story and the first thing that comes to mind is this is great example of identity theft,” Irwin said. “I think the first step is we all have to take responsibility for our own identity, and we must tighten up what we do, right? We have to keep our information safe. And again, with it happening at this level, this type of sophistication, ultimately consumers pay the price when businesses get taken for fraud.”
Blackwell is facing charges of identity theft, forgery and theft of property.
