PENSACOLA — A Fort Walton Beach man who secretly photographed more than 200 customer credit and debit cards while working the register at a Destin Wendy’s pleaded guilty in federal court to fraudulent use of fifteen or more access devices and aggravated identity theft.
Marcus Bernard Clark, 31, faces a maximum penalty of ten years’ imprisonment on the fraud count and an additional two years of imprisonment on the aggravated identity theft count, which must run consecutively to any sentence on the first charge. U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Florida John P. Heekin announced the plea.
“This fraudster exploited his access to customers’ credit and debit card information to try to enrich himself at their expense,” Heekin said. “Thanks to the excellent investigative work by our state law enforcement partners and this successful prosecution by my office, federal prison awaits him.”
Court documents show Clark worked at the Wendy’s fast food restaurant in Destin in September and October 2022. During a judicially authorized extraction of Clark’s cell phone related to another criminal case, law enforcement discovered over 200 photographs and some short videos of different individuals’ credit and debit cards. Investigators determined the photographs were taken at the Wendy’s while Clark was working. None of the victims gave permission for their bank cards — containing their names and card numbers — to be photographed.
The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Jessica S. Etherton is prosecuting the case.
Clark’s sentencing is scheduled for July 16, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola before United States District Judge T. Kent Wetherell II.