United States v. Jones, No. 14-3103 (7th Cir. 2015)
Annotate this CaseJones and others pickpocketed wallets and bought stolen wallets to create counterfeit driver’s licenses and checks, producing at least 60 counterfeit documents. With stolen checkbooks belonging to at least 26 people, they made checks payable to match the fraudulent identification documents. “Writers” presented the forged checks and documents to banks to withdraw cash, while Jones waited outside. The scheme resulted in a loss of approximately $770,000. Jones recruited six and trained all eight writers. He furnished fraudulent IDs, decided which banks to target, provided transportation, and divided the proceeds. Jones was charged with 10 counts of bank fraud, 18 U.S.C. 1344, and aggravated identity theft, 18 U.S.C. 1028A(a)(1). While on bond, Jones was arrested again for stealing wallets and making fraudulent credit card purchases. Jones pleaded guilty, without a plea agreement, to one bank fraud count and aggravated identity theft. The court calculated 12 criminal history points and applied a four-level enhancement for possession or use of device-making equipment and production of counterfeit devices, a two-level enhancement for having more than 50 victims, and a four-level enhancement as a leader of criminal activity involving five or more participants, for a guidelines range of 151–188 months, and imposed a sentence of 160 months plus a statutorily-mandated consecutive 24- month term for aggravated identity theft. The Seventh Circuit affirmed.
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