Mills man charged with fraudulent purchase of crankshaft sensor

CASPER, Wyo. — A Mills man is charged with a felony and a misdemeanor for allegedly using someone else’s business account to purchase a $48 crankshaft sensor at an auto supply store.

Aaron Trent Harmon, 47, was charged in Natrona County Circuit Court on Tuesday, April 1. Assistant District Attorney Joseph Cole described the case as “a straightforward crime of moral turpitude.”

Harmon is presumed innocent unless proven or pleading guilty.

On Jan. 31, Deputy Ty Mower with the Natrona County Sheriff’s Office went to the auto parts store on West 1st Street to investigate the fraud. The store had gotten a call from the accountant of a construction company who thought it was odd that their company’s manager, who lived permanently in Arizona, had signed off on the purchase of an unneeded car part on a Saturday, according to the affidavit.

A still image of the suspect from security footage was sent to the construction company’s manager, who identified Harmon with certainty, saying he’d dealt with him in the past. He said Harmon had never worked for the company and had never had authorization to use the account, and he wished to press charges.

Security footage also showed the license plate of the vehicle Harmon arrived in. On March 13, a deputy visited the address of the registered owner and spoke to Harmon’s roommate, who said she’d lent Harmon her vehicle because his Hyundai Santa Fe was disabled. She added that Harmon had been gone about a week because he was working on his brother’s house, but she couldn’t give an exact address.

Harmon was arrested at his Mills residence on March 31.

Harmon is formally charged with the felony crime of fraud and misdemeanor theft for the $48.29 part.

Harmon said at the hearing that he was a lifelong Natrona County resident and worked as a self-employed master electrician.

Bond was set at $3,000 cash or surety.