BOISE - Elizabeth Carter, 21, of Reno, Nevada, pleaded guilty today in United States District Court to one count of access device fraud for using counterfeit credit cards, U.S. Attorney Wendy J. Olson announced. Sentencing is set for May 5, 2015, before Chief U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill.
Carter, and co-defendant Rapphel Johnson, who already pleaded guilty, were indicted in September 2014, for access device fraud (credit card fraud) and identity theft. According to the plea agreement, Carter admitted that on Sept. 1, 2014, she and Johnson knowingly used counterfeit credit cards containing the account numbers of real people to make a number of fraudulent purchases in Boise at stores including Rite Aid, Subway, T-Mobile, Finish Line, and Macy’s. In particular, Carter admitted using a counterfeit credit card, with another person’s account number, to purchase items at T-Mobile at the Boise Towne Square Mall. Additionally, Carter admitted that when she and Johnson were contacted by police, at a motel room rented with a counterfeit credit card, Johnson threw several counterfeit credit cards out the motel room window. The co-defendant, Johnson, is set for sentencing on March 16, 2015.
A violation of access device fraud is punishable by a maximum term of imprisonment of ten years, a term of supervised release of not more than three years, a maximum fine of $250,000, and a special assessment of $100.
The case was investigated by the United States Secret Service and the Boise Police Department.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
