A man and woman pleaded not guilty Friday to charges stemming from an alleged identity theft scheme to purchase cars through an online auction and then selling them to unwitting customers in Tustin.

Chrisopher John Gauley, 34, and Kristina Marie Hall, 32, are charged with two dozen felonies including grand theft, burglary, unlawful taking of a vehicle, forgery and identity theft. They also face allegations of committing some of the crimes while out on bail in the case against them, according to court records.

The two are accused of stealing the identities of others to purchase 12 vehicles through online auctions before selling them to unsuspecting victims, according to a motion to increase their bail filed by Tustin police investigator Jeff Singleton.

The two were arrested in February 2017, but Gauley bailed out a month later and Hall posted bail in April of last year.

While out of custody, the pair were accused of illegally acquiring three more vehicles from August of last year to November of 2017, Singleton said.

Hall allegedly wrote in a notebook that contained personal identifying information of others that the pair needed money as soon as possible, Singleton said.

“We need a car ASAP and we need to get our passports (no joke) ASAP,” Hall allegedly wrote. “Like I said, I’m not willing to live without you at this point or any other point in our life. I think having passports on the ready just in case would be very smart as a last resort.”

The two were arrested again on additional charges on Thursday.

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