On the Clock Crime: Employee Admits to Identity Theft

PENSACOLA, Fla. — A Fort Walton Beach man who admitted to secretly photographing customers’ credit and debit cards while working at a Destin fast-food restaurant is now facing years in federal prison.

Marcus Bernard Clark, 31, pleaded guilty Wednesday in federal court to charges of fraudulent use of 15 or more access devices and aggravated identity theft, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida.

Prosecutors say Clark worked at a Wendy’s in Destin during September and October 2022, where he used his position to capture images of customers’ bank cards without their knowledge or consent.

Investigators uncovered the scheme during a court-authorized search of Clark’s cellphone in connection with a separate criminal case. Authorities found more than 200 photos and videos showing different individuals’ credit and debit cards, many of which were taken while he was on the job.

Officials said none of the victims gave Clark permission to photograph or store their financial information.

U.S. Attorney John P. Heekin said the case highlights how easily trust can be abused in everyday transactions.

“This fraudster exploited his access to customers’ credit and debit card information to try to enrich himself at their expense,” Heekin said in a statement.

Clark now faces up to 10 years in prison for the fraud charge, along with a mandatory two-year consecutive sentence for aggravated identity theft if convicted at sentencing.

The investigation was led by the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office, and the case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica S. Etherton.

Clark is scheduled to be sentenced on July 16, 2026, at the U.S. Courthouse in Pensacola before Judge T. Kent Wetherell II.