Accused
Internet dating site scam artist pleads not guilty
By
DAWN WITHERS
The Salinas Californian
A
man accused of using an Internet dating site to prey on a Soledad woman pleaded
not guilty Friday during his arraignment in Monterey County Superior Court.
Police
arrested Gary Smith on Thursday on suspicion of identity theft and fraud after
they say he emptied the bank account of a Soledad woman he’d met online.
Smith
was charged with driving a stolen car, forgery, grand theft, possessing stolen
property and commercial burglary. All counts are felonies.
Soledad
police said the woman, whose identity is not being released, filed a police report
Wednesday afternoon and later helped police catch Smith. He was arrested early
Thursday in a stolen car with dozens of credit cards, checks and car titles belonging
to up to six women, a stolen passport, and a bag of sex toys.
Smith
is being held on $500,000 bail in Monterey County Jail and is scheduled for arraignment
at 1:30 p.m. today in Salinas.
He
is being represented by the Monterey County Public Defender.
