FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
FRIDAY - September 5, 2008
WILMINGTON - United States Attorney George E.B. Holding announced that on September 3, 2008, in federal court United States District Judge James C. Fox sentenced LISA ANN SMITH, 40, of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, to 24 months’ imprisonment and imposed restitution in the amount of $19,681.89.
A Criminal Information was filed on January 29, 2008, charging aggravated identity theft. On May 12, 2008, SMITH pled guilty to the charge. From November, 2006, to January, 2007, SMITH and another individual targeted older women to steal their purses by pickpocketing. After SMITH’s accomplice snatched the purses, SMITH altered the driver’s licenses and used the credit card to obtain cash advances and purchases.
Mr. Holding commented: “As we have repeatedly seen, identity theft takes many forms. Here, by simply stealing purses and picking people’s pockets, these defendants worked to destroy the victims’ credit and financial security. All citizens should carefully guard and protect their financial and personal information.”
Investigation of the case was conducted by the United States Secret Service, the Raleigh Police Department, the Cary Police Department and the Garner Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Gaston Williams served as prosecutor for the government.
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