Tampa, FL - Acting United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces the unsealing of a fourteen-count indictment charging Ashley C. Guy with multiple counts of wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, possession of unauthorized access devices, and destruction of records in a federal investigation. If convicted, she faces a maximum penalty of twenty years in federal prison on each wire fraud count; twenty years on the destruction of records count; and 10 years in federal prison on the access device count, all to be followed by two years in prison for each aggravated identity theft count.
According to the indictment, Guy devised and participated in a scheme to defraud the United States Treasury by causing federal income tax returns fraudulently claiming tax refunds to be filed with the IRS. Guy directed the refunds claimed on these tax returns to be electronically deposited onto prepaid debit cards that were issued in the names of third parties without the third parties’ knowledge. The indictment further alleges that as part of the scheme, Guy destroyed and attempted to destroy documents, records, and tangible objects containing the means of identification of third parties with the intent to impede, obstruct, and influence a federal investigation.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of the federal criminal laws, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service and the Tampa Police Department, with assistance from the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Matthew J. Mueller and Trial Attorney Jason H. Poole of the Department of Justice, Tax Division.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
