Owner of Pecks market arrested in fraud case

Everett police arrested the owner of Pecks Drive Market Thursday after a nearly four month investigation into fraudulent transactions involving food stamp debit cards.

A man first came to police claiming that his Electronic Benefits Transfer (“Quest”) card was stolen from his living space and another card was left in its place. When he went to use the card he discovered it wasn’t his. The man then checked the transaction history of his card to discover nearly $150 had been debited at Pecks, police said. The man told detectives he had heard the market was offering $.50 on the dollar to their fraudulent transaction “customers.” For example, if a card was swiped for $100, the store would give the card holder $50.

Undercover officers completed the same types of transactions on several occasions, police said. Detectives also found a huge increase in the amount of EBT redemptions – from $4200 in January 2010 to more than $50,000 in December.

The owner of Pecks – a 54-year-old Lynnwood man – was booked into jail for money laundering, trafficking in food stamps, and unlawful redemption of food stamps