SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Elise Elizabeth Perez, 42, of North Highlands, pleaded guilty today to four counts of bank fraud, one count of aggravated identity theft, and two counts of possession of stolen mail, United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced.
According to court documents, Perez admitted to using stolen IDs and checks to buy merchandise and make deposits into her own account. On April 20 and April 21, Perez used the driver’s license and checks stolen from one victim to make purchases. On May 7 and May 8, she deposited two forged checks into her own bank account. On May 30, 2014, a search warrant was executed at Perez’s residence and law enforcement found many items of stolen property, U.S. mail, and personal financial identification information of others.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Sacramento Office of the United States Postal Inspection Service with assistance from the Sacramento County Sheriff's Office. Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Rodriguez is prosecuting the case.
San Francisco Division Inspector in Charge Rafael Nunez of the United States Postal Inspection Service stated: “We are working closely with the U.S. Attorney's Office and our partners in law enforcement to ensure the U.S. Mail system is not used to facilitate criminal activity."
Perez is scheduled to be sentenced by United States District Judge Lawrence K. Karlton on November 4, 2014. She faces up to 30 years in prison for bank fraud, up to five years in prison for possession of stolen mail, and a consecutive mandatory minimum sentence of two years in prison for aggravated identity theft. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
