PITTSBURGH - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pa., pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of conspiracy to commit mail fraud, aggravated identity theft and conspiracy to commit bank fraud, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
Joseph Naill, 41, pleaded guilty to the three felony counts before Senior United States District Court Judge Arthur Schwab.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that from Dec. 23, 2016 until June 8, 2018, Naill and a coconspirator agreed to defraud banks, institutions and individuals, and to obtain money and property by false identifications and false representations. Their conspiracy produced approximately $175,000 in fraudulent proceeds.
As part of their conspiracy, Naill obtained and possessed personal identifying information, including names, home addresses, dates of birth, driver’s license numbers and social security numbers, of multiple real individuals. They then used this personal identifying information to open fraudulent credit card accounts in false names with financial institutions. Naill used the credit cards in the false names to conduct fraudulent transactions, including credit card cash advances, point of sale purchases and online purchases. These transactions caused losses to financial institutions in a combined amount of approximately $175,000.
On Feb. 23, 2017, Naill, during his commission of mail fraud, knowingly possessed and used, without lawful authority, the means of identification of two victims, namely, the Pennsylvania driver’s license number ending in 6655 of a victim with the initials of J.W, as well as the residential address of a second victim who also has the initials, J.W.
From March 26, 2017, until April 12, 2017, Naill and a coconspirator knowingly and willfully conspired to commit bank fraud. It was a part of the conspiracy that on April 10, 2017, Joseph Naill created a false Pennsylvania driver’s license in the name of a victim with the initials, J.W., containing the date of birth of the victim, J.W., for use in the attempt to obtain a fraudulent loan from a federally insured financial institution.
Judge Schwab scheduled sentencing for Dec. 16, 2019. Naill remains on bond pending sentencing. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of 50 years in prison and a fine of $1,250.000 or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Mary McKeen Houghton is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The United States Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, and the United States Postal Inspection Service, conducted the investigation leading to the conviction in this case.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
