Utah woman to serve month in jail for selling fake Pokémon cards

SARATOGA SPRINGS — A Utah woman who swindled more than $13,000 from collectors by selling fake Pokémon cards was sentenced to a month in jail and 150 hours of community service.

Haley Alejandra Hayward, 29, was charged Dec. 22 in 4th District Court with theft by deception and 10 counts of forgery, third-degree felonies. A month later, on Jan. 22, she was charged in a separate case with theft by deception, forgery, communications fraud, five counts of possessing a forged writing and five counts of possessing a device used to make forged writings, all third-degree felonies.

On Dec. 14, a man arranged to buy 10 collectible Pokémon cards from Hayward for $4,500.

"(He) was led to believe that the Pokémon cards were authentic PSA rated cards," according to a police booking affidavit. The two met in a store parking lot in Saratoga Springs, and after the victim briefly inspected the cards, he gave Hayward his money.

"Later, (the) victim and some friends inspected the cards more carefully and determined they were fakes," the charges state. "(The) victim reported the incident to Saratoga Springs police and gave the fake cards to (an) officer, who was able to confirm that they were fake using several investigative techniques."

The victim then told police that his friend had arranged to buy another card from Hayward the next day. Officers went to the location where the transaction was scheduled to take place and arrested Hayward upon her arrival.

Then, on Dec. 31, a second victim arranged to purchase a Pokémon card from Hayward for $1,500, according to charging documents for her second case.

After completing the transaction, "(The) victim then took the card to a card shop and was told the card was a fake," the charges state. "(The) victim reported the incident to Saratoga Springs police, who conducted infrared scans on the card and confirmed that it was fake."

That incident led to detectives serving a search warrant at Hayward's residence on Jan. 6.

"During the search, officers located boxes of collectible cards, including sports cards, Pokémon cards and other types of cards. They also found equipment used to produce fake cards, including laptops, electronic tablets, cellphones, video recorders, printers, laminators, heat presses, cameras, 3D printing equipment, cardstock, high-quality printer paper, photo paper and soft and hard plastic card sleeves," according to the charges.

"They also found printed sheets containing card images, including fake historical Edgar Allan Poe cards, and a counterfeit Illustrator Pokémon card, the original of which is extremely rare and potentially worth over $1 million," the charges say.

In addition, police found "fake currency" labeled with: "for motion picture purposes," police say.

A Pokémon card and a printer were found in Hayward's master bedroom, an "imitation Pikachu/Pocket Monster Card Game" and an "oversized Pokémon card" were found in the kitchen, and 88 more Pokémon cards, along with clear card cases, a heat press, a printer and a laptop were found in the living room, according to court documents.

Three more cases were filed against Hayward in February and March after more people came forward, saying they were fake Pokémon cards by Hayward. A sixth case was filed in June. In total, Hayward gained about $13,000 from the fraudulent sales, according to the charges.

In all, Hayward, who is listed in court documents as being from West Valley City but also has ties to an apartment in Saratoga Springs, was charged with 27 felony charges.

On July 8, Hayward submitted a no contest plea to a reduced charge of theft by deception, a class A misdemeanor, in each of the five cases. As part of the plea agreement, the June case was dismissed entirely, along with the rest of the charges against her. Her plea deal stated she would pay back a total of $12,650 in restitution to the victims.

She was sentenced on Sept. 2 to serve 30 days in jail and complete 150 hours of community service. She will also serve two years on probation, according to court records.

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