How A Lost County Credit Card Led To Felony Charges

SMITHFIELD0 – A 25 year-old man is facing felony charges after authorities say a lost Johnston County government credit card was used to purchase a laptop computer, leading to an undercover bust.

The Johnston County Sheriff’s Office said a credit card issued to Johnston County Emergency Services and used to purchase fuel for an EMS unit was lost in Dec. 2025.

Before the card could be canceled, it was used at Walmart in Smithfield to purchase a laptop computer valued at $714.

Detectives obtained surveillance video from the store of the suspect and later discovered the laptop had been listed for sale on a social media site. A detective working undercover arranged a meeting with the seller while posing as a potential buyer.

During the meeting, the laptop was presented and its serial number was verified as the same computer purchased with the stolen credit card. The sheriff’s detective then identified himself.

Authorities said Aldo Julien Munoz-Mazariegos, of W. Waddell Street, reportedly admitted to finding the credit card on the ground and using it to buy the laptop. He was arrested Jan. 26.

Munoz-Mazariegos was charged with financial card theft and obtaining property by false pretenses, both felony offenses. He was given a $12,500 bond after being taken before a magistrate at the Johnston County Detention Center.

The laptop was seized as evidence.