Rexburg woman charged in rental scam

A Rexburg woman faces four different charges for attempting to defraud potential renters.

Rexburg Police say 25-year-old Ashley Nicole Vidrine was fraudulently advertising a townhouse for rent and accepting down payments from victims without any intent of renting out the property. The townhouse being advertised was being rented by Vidrine and her husband.

Investigators said Vidrine accepted $1,000 as a down payment for a townhouse between September 1 and September 8, a misdemeanor.

She was charged with felony grand theft by deception for taking $1,900 for a rental between September 3 and September 9.

The third count, for petit theft, occurred September 6, when Vidrine allegedly took $600 as a rental deposit for a townhouse.

Vidrine was also charged with a felony computer crime. Police that involved the use of a computer or network to obtain money by means of false or fraudulent pretenses, representations or promises, or committing theft.

She was being held on $50,000 bond in the Madison County Jail following her arrest Thursday.