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Tahoe man possessing others credits cards, financial info gets max sentence

Kurt Hildebrand
Record Courier

STATELINE, Nev. — A Lake Tahoe man received the maximum prison sentence of up to four years on Monday after a Douglas County District judge reviewed evidence showing he had several people’s credit cards and personal financial information.

Vincent James Descano, 32, pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a credit card without the owner’s permission in December.

Attorney Chad Pace said the case stems from Descano’s drug problems.



“Drugs are at the root of the problem,” Pace said.

Descano has been in custody since he was arrested on Oct. 2, 2021, something he said helped him get sober.



“My time here has been very good for me,” he said. “I’ve cleaned my mind out.”

Prosecutor Erik Levin provided two exhibits in support of his request for the maximum 19-48 months in prison.

Levin entered photographs that showed the large number of credit cards, Social Security numbers and other personal information, along with handwritten instructions on how to use the information to take money.

“This wasn’t someone shoplifting from Walmart,” Levin said. “This was both sophisticated and of great magnitude.”

District Judge Tom Gregory agreed.

“You had a lot of information belonging to other people,” he said.

Descano was given credit for 136 days served in custody.


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