Eastern District of California Blog

Guilty Verdict in Sacramento Fraud and Identity Theft Case

A man was found guilty of fraud and identity theft Tuesday for his involvement in a nationwide credit card scheme targeting San Juan Unified School District students. [No. 2:14-CR-0083-GEB]

Ruslan Kirilyuk, 41, of Beverly Hills was found guilty of 24 counts of wire fraud, two counts of mail fraud, one count of aggravated identity theft and one count of failure to appear in connection with a nationwide credit card scheme involving Sacramento and Moscow operatives, according to a news release by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California.

Sacramento Bee, 2/28/19

 

Feds Charge DMV Worker with Identity Theft

A worker at California’s Department of Motor Vehicles, which is the subject on an ongoing federal bribery probe into the misuse of department computer files, has been accused of using driver’s license records in an elaborate mail and identity theft case.

Sarah Laray Sandoval, 39, was a DMV employee with access to computer records that included driver’s names, dates of birth, addresses and other personal information that was used to steal victims’ identities and open phony bank accounts, according to a criminal complaint filed in federal court in Sacramento.

Sandoval, of West Sacramento, is named in the complaint along with Anthony Andrew Zamarron, 37, who shares the same address as Sandoval.

Sac Bee, 2/9/18

Fresno Guilty Verdict in Stolen Mail Case

On Friday, after a three-day trial, a Fresno jury found the defendant guilty of five counts of bank fraud, one count of possessing stolen mail, and one count of aggravated identity theft before Judge O'Neill.  U.S. v. Sorrells, No. 1:14-CR-140-LJO.

Sacramento Jury Convicts In Identity Theft/Fraud Prosecution

On Monday evening, after a week-long trial, a Sacramento jury convicted a Roseville woman of bank fraud, making a false statement on a loan application, and aggravated identity theft involving a property in Roseville.  The jury hung on similar charges related to a second real estate transaction.  United States v. Siders, No. 2:12-CR-226-JAM.  Sentencing is set for June 9, 2015, before Judge Mendez.

Sacramento Jury Returns Guilty Verdict On Bank Fraud, Identity Theft Charges

On Thursday, a Sacramento jury returned a guilty verdict after a three day jury trial on one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, two counts of bank fraud, and one count of aggravated identity theft in United States v. Ray, 2:11-CR-0216-MCE.

Helicopter Pilot Nets Two Years Prison For Identity Theft

By most accounts, John Michael Dial is not a bad helicopter pilot.

But he neglected what he may think of as niceties. He flew without a pilot’s license and under assumed names.

He crash-landed in Sacramento federal court, where he was sentenced Thursday to two years in prison on his July guilty plea to aggravated identify theft.

Dial, 58, did things like making false statements to the Federal Aviation Administration and forging a signature on a U.S. passport, all while using the names of actual people – just not his own.

Sacramento Bee, 10/2/14

Fresno Identity Theft Defendant Sentenced to 70 Months Imprisonment

The alleged leader of a far-flung identity theft ring was sentenced today to 70 months in federal prison and ordered to pay more than $91,000 in restitution to some 50 victims.

Alfred Darnell Ford was accused of running a network of accomplices who used stolen credit cards and other information to buy materials for a never-finished 5,500-square-foot home near Bethel and Clinton avenues east of Fresno.

Fresno Bee, 1/4/10; see earlier post on Ford's guilty plea

Fresno Identity Theft Defendant Pleads Guilty After Feds Indict His Wife

A Fresno man charged with building a 5,500 foot home with the proceeds of an identity theft scheme pled guilty Monday after federal prosecutors charged his wife with a felony.  Fresno Bee, 9/14/09.  As set forth in an earlier post, my blog, 8/26/09, Alfred Ford had requested a speedy trial and claimed he was being vindictively prosecuted based on a 2006 acquittal.   He pled only after the government stated it would dismiss his wife's charge at sentencing.

Feds Say 5,500 Square-Foot Fresno Home Built Via Identity Theft; Defense Claims Vindictive Prosecution From 2006 Acquittal

The Fresno Bee reports on the upcoming trial in U.S. v. Alfred Ford, which is set to start before Judge Wanger in Fresno next month:

For three years, Alfred Ford and his wife, Renatta Carter-Ford -- at the time, a federal court employee -- worked on the house, a sprawling 5,500 square-foot home on two acres in the upscale neighborhood. An iron fence stretches across the front of the property, with the letters 'A' and 'R' decorating the two entrance gates.

Federal authorities allege that Alfred Ford built the home using materials bought with stolen credit cards and labor provided by people who owed him drug money. He is in Fresno County Jail on multiple identity theft and wire fraud charges.

The U.S. Attorney's Office in Fresno is trying to seize the property at 11880 East Harvard Ave. in a rural area near Bethel and Clinton avenues.

Carter-Ford not charged

The land is owned by Renatta Carter-Ford. After the charges were filed against Alfred Ford, she left her job as clerk in jury services at the federal courthouse in Fresno. Eastern District officials would only confirm that she is no longer employed with the court. Renatta Carter-Ford has not been charged with any crimes.

Gary Huss, the attorney representing Alfred Ford, said the charges are bogus, cooked up by federal law enforcement officials who were angry after Ford was acquitted in 2006 of drug dealing charges.

* * *

Huss, however, said none of the material authorities said was stolen was found in the house. He said an informant involved in the case is the thief and is trying to pin blame on Ford.