MARTIN COUNTY— A Stuart man was accused of fraudulently using a condo association's credit card information to buy over $1,200 in gift cards.
    

Donald Francis Keal, 44, of the 4400 block of Southeast Hamilton Lane in Stuart was arrested Thursday on charges of fraudulent use of a credit card and grand theft.

Martin County Sheriff's Office deputies said they got a call April 11 about fraud from a board member of Schooner Oaks Condominium Association in the 5300 block of Southeast Schooner Oaks Way, Stuart. The caller told deputies someone had used the group's credit card information to buy more than $1,200 of gift cards from Home Depot.

One board member told deputies he believed three people could have used the card for unauthorized purchases. One of those three people was Keal, who was a handyman for the association.

Deputies said they interviewed the two others who both said Keal primarily used the card.

Donald Keal (Photo: MARTIN COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE)


Deputies said they went to the Home Depot in Stuart and requested videos from October and saw Keal buying the gift cards with the unauthorized card.

Keal told deputies he was going through hard times, was addicted to drugs, and would sell the gift cards to random people for half the price to make money.

Keal was arrested and taken to the Martin County Jail. He was later released on $5,000 bail.