An Eden Prairie man is accused of riding off on a stolen e-bike after attempting to use a stolen card at a gas station, according to Hennepin County court records.
Brandon Dontae Fondren, 47, was charged Tuesday, Aug. 5, with two felonies: receiving stolen property and financial transaction card fraud. His first court appearance is scheduled for Thursday, Aug. 21.
According to the criminal complaint, Eden Prairie police responded June 20 to a reported burglary at a home in the 15000 block of Boulder Pointe Road. The homeowner told officers that a Trek Verge e-bike and financial transaction cards had been stolen from his garage.
Investigators later learned the victim’s card was used in an attempt to make a $35 purchase at a Speedway gas station in the 16000 block of W. 78th St. in Eden Prairie. Surveillance video allegedly showed Fondren using the card and leaving on an e-bike.
Police said the stolen bike contained an AirTag tracker, which led them to an Eden Prairie apartment leased to Fondren. Officers obtained a search warrant and recovered the bike, valued at $3,000, from inside.
The complaint states Fondren was convicted of check forgery in September 2022. Because of that prior conviction, he faces an enhanced penalty if convicted on the financial card fraud charge.
Comments
We offer several ways for our readers to provide feedback. Your comments are welcome on our social media posts (Facebook, X, Instagram, Threads, and LinkedIn). We also encourage Letters to the Editor; submission guidelines can be found on our Contact Us page. If you believe this story has an error or you would like to get in touch with the author, please connect with us.