United States Attorney Deborah R. Gilg announced that on Aug. 13, 2015, Senior United States District Court Judge Lyle E. Strom sentenced Herman A. Fessehai, Bellevue, Washington, age 31, to a sentence of 27 months imprisonment, following his conviction for unauthorized possession of over 17,000 electronically stored credit and debit card account numbers not belonging to Fessehai. After his release from prison, Fessehai will begin a term of supervised release of 3 years. Fessehai was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $815.87 and has also agreed to the forfeiture of over $25,000 in seized cash and money orders.
Aug. 13, 2015, Senior United States District Court Judge Lyle E. Strom sentenced Emanuel Haile, Lynnwood, Washington, age 25, to a sentence of 11 months and 22 days, which term of imprisonment has already been served, following his conviction for possession of in excess of 17,000 electronically stored credit and debit card account numbers not belonging to Haile. Haile will immediately begin a term of supervised release of 3 years. Haile was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $815.87 and has also agreed to the forfeiture of over $25,000 in seized cash and money orders.
On Aug. 22, 2014, an officer with the La Vista Police Department conducted a traffic stop on a Chevy Tahoe traveling eastbound on Interstate 80 for speeding. During the traffic stop, a search of the vehicle and its contents was conducted by law enforcement officers. Officers located numerous fraudulent identification cards as well as fraudulently altered credit cards associated with Haile and Fessehai. Officers also located electronic equipment, which included a computer and instructions for software to read and write credit and debit card magnetic strips. A search of the computer revealed in excess of 17,000 unauthorized electronically stored debit card and credit card account numbers not belonging to Haile or Fessehai.
During search of the vehicle officers also located Federal Express receipts in the name of Fessehai. Officers were able to intercept the Federal Express packages sent by Haile and Fessehai prior to reaching their final destination. Those packages contained two credit card skimmers used to read and write credit and debit card magnetic strips as well as a card embosser used to imprint new credit cards.
Officers also located within the vehicle two bundles of U.S. currency as well as numerous money orders. The total amount of U.S. currency and money orders found was in excess of $25,000.
This case was investigated by the La Vista Police Department and United States Secret Service.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
