Fraudster gets prison time for stealing credit cards to buy prepaid Walmart cards

ARKADELPHIA, Arkansas — A Little Rock man will spend 6 years in prison for defrauding local businesses of gift cards, the Clark County Prosecutor’s Office announced.

Romell Rivera, 25, was sentenced in Clark County Circuit Court on Thursday, May 22, 2025 to 72 months in the Arkansas Department of Corrections plus 72 months suspended imposition of sentence for offenses of fraudulent use of a credit card and theft by receiving. Rivera was also ordered to pay $2,769.00 in fines, costs, and restitution.  

Rivera was identified as by investigators using a stolen credit card at a Walmart store in Malvern, Arkansas, around June 20, 2024 to purchase prepaid gift cards. Inv. Brent Whitworth of the Arkadelphia Police Department further investigated the incident and determined that the credit card had been stolen from the victim’s vehicle outside of A-Town Fitness in Arkadelphia.  

After previous reports of vehicle break-ins in the same area, Inv. Whitworth was able to gather evidence to ultimately charge Rivera for the specific theft which involved the vicitm’s wallet being taken from his vehicle previously.  Whitworth further identified the vehicle used by Rivera and was able to match the vehicle description to an earlier incident in Garland County in which Rivera was issued a traffic ticket.  

Rivera was also charged in Faulkner and Hot Spring County for similar offenses.

Prosecuting Attorney Dan Turner praised the work of the Arkadelphia Police Department in the case and specifically the efforts of Inv. Whitworth. “The successful prosecution of this case was only possible due to the diligence and hard work of Inv. Brent Whitworth,” Turner said. “Inv. Whitworth’s knowledge of prior thefts from vehicles in this area of our community was critical in helping apprehend this offender. Although we did not have direct evidence that he committed the other thefts reported, I feel strongly given his prior record and the information Whitworth gathered that he was likely responsible for other offenses in our area and am grateful we were able to successfully sentence him to the Arkansas Department of Corrections in this matter.”