A 39-year-old Memphis man who allegedly traveled to Nashville to commit theft has once again found himself behind bars. Sherman Guy, previously out on bond for related criminal activities, was apprehended by the MNPD's Entertainment District Unit early this morning outside a downtown bar on Broadway. He is facing charges of felony theft, attempted felony theft, and identity theft, with a bond set at a steep $80,000.
Authorities claim that Guy has made it a habit to steal cellphones from the unwary in the downtown scene, only to later use applications such as Venmo and Apple Pay to illicitly transfer cash from the owners' accounts. He is accused of swiftly using banking apps to not just pilfer funds but also to carry out significant transactions, including making a $1,700 purchase from a jewelry store in Memphis, as reported by nashville.gov. The latest charges arose following an investigation triggered by a report from a Maryland man whose cellphone was stolen while he was at a downtown Nashville bar in December.
This is not the first time Guy has found himself in hot water for similar offenses. In fact, he was previously bonded out for a collective $29,500 relating to several arrests made last year for downtown cellphone thefts. This latest arrest testifies to the persistence of digital age thieves and the vigilance required by smartphone owners when out in densely populated spots.
The case against Guy unfolded when a visitor to Nashville reported his stolen phone—and subsequent money pilfering—late last year. Guy allegedly proceeded to brazenly use the victim's credit card information, linked to the Apple Pay app, to rack up charges and even attempt to set up fraudulent bank accounts. "The thief, subsequently identified as Guy, used the phone's Venmo and Apple Pay features to steal thousands of dollars in cash," detailed the report from nashville.gov.
