A woman from Indiana is now confronting over 30 charges as a result of a comprehensive two-year probe into an identity theft operation, spearheaded by the Indiana State Police and covering three counties.

The investigation commenced in December 2023, when ISP began delving into potential fraudulent activities after receiving a report of a “suspicious” online purchase made at a Fishers-based business. Authorities suspect that an identity was unlawfully used to secure a line of credit with the company.

ISP revealed that due to certain “red flags,” a store employee asked the suspect to visit the business in person to finalize the purchase. However, the suspect failed to appear.

Upon examining the details used for the credit application and online transaction, investigators traced a connection to a residence on Dobbs Ferry Drive, situated in the northwest part of Indianapolis.

In February 2024, detectives secured a search warrant for the property, uncovering a trove of evidence that ISP claims points to identity theft, fraud, and forgery activities.

This soon led detectives to identify Diara Jernigan of Gary, Indiana, as the primary suspect in the case. ISP said its investigation uncovered evidence that Jernigan had made fraudulent purchases on several items, ranging from cell phones to appliances and jewelry. ISP said Jernigan allegedly used stolen identities to rent homes throughout Indianapolis and gained access to utilities at the homes.

Authorities placed Jernigan under arrest in February 2025 on active warrants out of Hamilton and Hendricks counties. Detectives seized additional evidence from Jernigan’s apartment in downtown Indianapolis as they continued to build their case. This resulted in additional preliminary charges being filed against her.

Jernigan faces a total of 36 charges following an extensive investigation into the alleged crimes. A detailed breakdown of each charge can be viewed below:

• Nine counts of Identity Deception (Level 6 Felony)
• Seven counts of Forgery (Level 6 Felony)
• Six counts of Fraud (Level 6 Felony)
• Five counts of Theft (Level 6 Felony)
• Corrupt Business Influence (Level 5 Felony)
• Four counts of False Government ID (Class A Misdemeanor)
• Four counts of Fraud (Class A Misdemeanor)

Detectives also recovered the following items over the course of their investigation:

• Five firearms, of which three were reportedly stolen
• Counterfeit US currency and credit cards
• Credit card stamping machine
• 125 fraudulent state identification cards from five different states
• 15 fraudulent/stolen social security cards
• Around $20,000 in cash
• Jewelry, tools and other items that were fraudulently purchased

ISP noted that detectives identified five additional suspects connected to the case who are also under investigation for possible crimes of theft and forgery.

Online court records indicate Jernigan is scheduled to appear in Hamilton Superior Court 4 on Jan. 15 for the start of her jury trial. Records do not yet reflect when she is due to appear in court to face her pending charges in Marion County in relation to the case.