SAN ANTONIO – A suspect who has a history of fraud and forgery arrests is accused of committing fraud again by tapping into a stranger's bank account and paying his own CPS Energy bill with that person's money.
Derik Allen Flores, 29, was arrested Sunday on a charge of fraudulent use of identifying information.
An arrest affidavit stated that a couple contacted Bexar County sheriff's detectives in early December after someone had broken into their car and stolen several items, including a checkbook and papers which contained personal information.
About a week later on Dec. 16, one of the victims told detectives that he had detected a fraudulent transaction on his bank account, an electronic payment to CPS Energy in the amount of $650, the affidavit stated.
Detectives said their investigation showed the bill was for a home in the 1000 block of S. Pine where Flores lives.
Investigators said they also realized that Flores has a criminal history that includes several prior arrests for fraud and forgery.
In fact, Flores appeared in a KSAT 12 News story in September after he was arrested on charges that included fraud and forgery.
In that case, Alamo Heights police accused him of using other people's information to open bank accounts, then depositing stolen checks in the accounts.
Flores was arrested in connection with that earlier crime after his picture aired in a Crime Stoppers report and police received a tip.