Prosecutors Had Sought Revocation

BOSTON, May 24, 2017— The New Hampshire man currently charged with stealing more than $350,000 from romantic partners and others today saw his bail increased after prosecutors presented evidence that he had committed new, similar offenses in other jurisdictions, Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said.

MICHAEL J. SHIELDS Jr. (D.O.B. 4/20/91) of New Hampshire is currently facing a 45-count indictment charging 21 counts of credit card fraud, 17 counts of use of a stolen or fraudulently obtained credit card, one count of larceny over $250, and two counts each of larceny over $250 by single scheme, attempting to commit larceny over $250, and intimidation of a witness.  He has been free on $7,500 bail that was posted after his October 19, 2016 arraignment in Suffolk Superior Court.  The case returned to court today as prosecutors argued that Shields violated the conditions of his release.

Assistant District Attorney George Barker of the DA’s Special Prosecutions Unit asked that Shields’ bail be revoked in light of new information that he said provides probable cause to believe that Shields committed new offenses while on bail and presents a danger to the public – the two prongs that must be met to revoke bail under Massachusetts General Law Ch. 276 Sec. 58B.  Judge Beverly Cannone instead raised Shields’ bail by an additional $2,500 to a total of $10,000.  She ordered Shields to wear a GPS monitoring device, remain within Massachusetts, and not open any new credit cards or cause others to open new credit cards while his case is pending.

Among the currently pending charges, Shields is accused of opening more than a dozen credit cards in the names of five different women and using the cards to make charges of more than $350,000 on purchases including meals, vacations, clothing, and jewelry.  Authorities said Shields typically met victims through social media sites and became involved in brief romantic relationships.  During the relationship, he would ask the victim for her personal identifying information, often stating that he wanted to make the victim an authorized user on his credit cards in order to take care of her financially. Instead of adding the victim to his own credit card accounts, however, prosecutors say Shields used the victim’s personal information to open credit cards and added himself as an authorized user.

After his October arraignment and subsequent release on bail, Shields allegedly opened new credit cards in the names a woman in Alabama and a woman in Oklahoma, each of whom told police they had provided personal identifying information to Shields with the expectation she would be added as an authorized user on Shields’ account.  These accounts were opened between November 2016 and January 2017.

No charges have yet been filed in connection with the new allegations.

Shields is represented by Anne Iglehart.  He returns to court July 31.

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All defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.