U.S. Attorney Kenneth A. Polite announced that DOMINIEL TRINETTE JONES, age 26, of New Orleans, was charged today in a five-count Indictment for Conspiracy to Steal Federal Funds, Theft of Federal Funds, and Aggravated Identity Theft.
According to the Indictment, on or before Sept. 11, 2014, JONES conspired with others, known and unknown to the Grand Jury, to unlawfully acquire two United States Treasury checks that did not belong to her. The refund checks were the property of the United States and payable to two actual taxpayers who were owed tax refunds. One check was payable to S.H. for the tax year 2011, in the amount of $25,476.00. The other check was payable to S.V. and J.V., in the amount of $33,754.64.
At a time unknown, but prior to Sept. 11, 2014, JONES, along with others, obtained two false Georgia driver’s licenses in the names of S.H., and J.V., the two taxpayers who were payees on the refund checks. JONES obtained these fake licenses for the purpose of opening bank accounts to deposit and steal the Treasury funds.
On or about Sept. 11, 2014, using the fake driver’s license bearing the name S.H., JONES, opened a bank account at Woodforest National Bank located in Covington, in S.H.’s name, but deposited the $25,476.00 check later that day at a different branch in Gulfport. On or about Sept. 22, 2014, JONES, traveled to the Woodforest National Bank, located in New Orleans, and withdrew $10,000 from the account bearing the name S.H. using the fake driver’s license.
According to the allegations in the Indictment, on or about Sept. 13, 2014, JONES and a co-conspirator, opened an account in the names of S.V. and J.V. at Woodforest National Bank located in LaPlace. JONES and the co-conspirator presented fraudulent Georgia driver’s licenses in the names of S.V. and J.V. to open the account. The same day, JONES, and the co-conspirator used the Treasury check payable to S.V. and J.V., in the amount of $33,754.64, as the initial deposit to open the account at the Woodforest National Bank.
If convicted of Conspiracy to Steal Federal Funds, JONES faces a maximum of five years imprisonment, a fine of not more than $250,000.00, supervised release of three years, and a special assessment of $100.00.
If convicted of Theft of Federal Funds, JONES faces a maximum of ten years imprisonment, a fine of not more than $250,000, supervised release of three years, and a special assessment of $100.00, as to each count.
If convicted of Aggravated Identity Theft, JONES faces a mandatory minimum of two year imprisonment in addition to any penalty on Counts Two or Three, as to each count.
U.S. Attorney Polite reiterated that the Indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
U.S. Attorney Polite praised the work of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sharan E. Lieberman is in charge of the prosecution.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
