United States Attorney Randolph J. Seiler announced that a Marshall, Minnesota, woman was sentenced to 35 months of imprisonment following her convictions for Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft.
Angelica Marie Hatch-Pequin, age 27, was indicted on March 7, 2017, and she pleaded guilty on Aug. 28, 2017. In addition to her prison term, Hatch-Pequin was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release following release from custody, and to pay restitution to a victim and a special assessment.
According to court documents, between September 2016 and Nov. 16, 2016, Hatch-Pequin engaged in a scheme to defraud financial institutions, while using the personal identifying information of other individuals. Hatch-Pequin would use the proceeds of the fraud scheme to purchase methamphetamine for her use and to distribute to others for money.
More specifically, on Nov. 16, 2016, defendants Angelica Marie Hatch-Pequin (“Hatch") and Jason Maurice Fagin were arrested at the Royal River Casino in Flandreau, South Dakota, for attempting to negotiate counterfeit checks. While trying to negotiate the check, Hatch presented a driver’s license belonging to another individual. Hatch, aided and abetted by Fagin, used the identification of that individual without lawful authority.
Hatch and Fagin would steal mail from mailboxes located in affluent neighbors of Minneapolis, Minnesota. Hatch and Fagin would target mail that appeared to contain bills and checks. Fagin would then use the personal, business, and banking information contained in those mail matters to create fraudulent checks. After Fagin created the fraudulent checks, Hatch would usually cash the counterfeit checks at convenience stores and casinos located throughout the Minnesota, Iowa, and South Dakota region. Hatch and Fagin created and passed fraudulent checks for approximately two months leading up to their arrests in November.
Two types of checks were created: payroll and personal checks. Payroll checks would be drafted in amounts ranging from $450 to $2,000; the check presented to the Royal River Casino was for $1,500. Personal checks were made in amounts from $100 to $800. The effected banks were insured by the FDIC at the time of the offenses.
The investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Flandreau Police Department, and the Flandreau Sioux Tribe’s Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy R. Jehangiri is prosecuting the case.
Hatch-Pequin was remanded to custody to continue serving her prison sentence. Fagin’s sentencing is pending.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
