DOJ says Marcus Bernard Clark pleaded guilty to fraudulent use of access devices and aggravated identity theft. Prosecutors allege that while working at a Wendy’s in Destin, Florida, he exploited access to customers’ credit and debit cards and stored hundreds of card images on his phone.

A former Wendy’s employee in Florida pleaded guilty to charges tied to unauthorized payment-card access and identity theft, according to DOJ. Prosecutors say Marcus Bernard Clark entered a guilty plea to fraudulent use of access devices and aggravated identity theft. The case centers on allegations that Clark exploited his position to access customers’ credit and debit card information while working at a Wendy’s location in Destin. DOJ alleges that law enforcement discovered a large cache of evidence, including hundreds of card images stored on Clark’s phone. The government’s theory is that Clark used his employment-related access to obtain payment information and then used it in a manner that constituted fraudulent use of access devices. The aggravated identity theft charge reflects prosecutors’ position that the conduct involved misuse of identifying information tied to victims. The “why it matters” framing in the DOJ announcement emphasizes that in-person access can translate into high-impact consumer harm, especially when stolen card data is collected and retained for later misuse. By pursuing both access-device fraud and identity-theft counts, prosecutors sought to match the criminal exposure to the degree of wrongdoing and potential downstream financial losses. The guilty plea marks a resolution of the criminal case in federal court following the government’s investigation into the alleged theft of customer card data during employment.