Fort Myers man accused of using stolen identities to lease apartments, finance vehicle
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Updated: 11:56 AM EDT Aug 13, 2026Editorial Standards ⓘ
Gulf Coast News
Digital Team
Fort Myers man accused of using stolen identities to lease apartments, finance vehicle
Updated: 11:56 AM EDT Aug 13, 2026Editorial Standards ⓘ
Gulf Coast News
Digital Team
FORT MYERS, Fla. —
A Fort Myers man was arrested on Friday after officers said they uncovered an identity theft scheme in which the suspect used other people’s identities to lease apartments and obtain vehicle financing
According to the Fort Myers Police Department arrest report, on July 2, a victim reported multiple unauthorized ACH debit transactions from a joint savings account she owned with her husband
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The unauthorized transactions sent money for rental apartment payments in the name of Johnathan Decker, 41, according to the report
On July 8, the victim’s husband reported that an unknown individual had unlawfully used his personal identifying information to submit a fraudulent vehicle application to Courtesy Nissan in Tampa, the report said. Officers obtained records from the dealership, which revealed that Decker was the primary applicant while the victim was fraudulently listed as the co-applicant
Further investigation led officers to a phone number used by Decker in the fraudulent vehicle application
A search warrant for the phone number and related e-mail address was submitted to Apple, and officers were able to link the Apple account used in the fraudulent vehicle application to fraudulent apartment leasing transactions
One such transaction involved Ascent at Metropolitan Naples, which was one of the apartment communities associated with the unauthorized ACH transactions from the victim’s account, the report said
Officers then obtained records from The Riley Apartments in Lee County and established that Decker had been leasing an apartment there under the same Apple account, the report said. An employee of the apartment complex was able to positively identify Decker
Investigators determined that the offenses committed against the victims were not isolated incidents and were instead part of an ongoing identity theft scheme perpetrated by Decker, the report said
On August 7, officers and deputies with the Lee County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at an apartment on Waterbury Court and located Decker inside
Decker was arrested and faces two charges of identity theft. Decker is currently being held at the Lee County Jail. Decker pleaded not guilty to the charges on August 11
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