Jacksonville, Florida - U.S. District Judge Marcia Morales Howard has sentenced Larry Bernard Taylor (49, Jacksonville) to 20 months in federal prison for identity theft and aiding and abetting the attempted passing of counterfeit checks. He pleaded guilty on Nov. 13, 2014.
According to court documents, on Feb. 26, 2014, the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle Jasper Shields was driving on Interstate 95 in Duval County. Larry Bernard Taylor was a passenger in the vehicle. When asked for identification, Taylor identified himself as L.C. and provided a Florida Identification Card to the FHP trooper in the name of L.C. After further questioning, Taylor admitted his true identity. Shields subsequently provided consent for a vehicle search, during which officers located 12 counterfeit business checks purportedly issued from Walgreens. The checks were made out to three different payees, in various amounts.
On Feb. 2, 2015, Shields was sentenced to 57 months in federal prison for his role in the scheme to pass counterfeit business checks and for violating his supervised release.
This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service North Florida High-Tech Crime Task Force and the Florida Highway Patrol. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Frein.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
