Rachelle Aud Crowe, U.S. attorney for Illinois' Southern District. | Department of Justice
Two Illinois residents were sentenced to prison following their guilty pleas to identity theft and bank fraud.
Zachary Patrick, 31, of Oblong and Briana Blair, 31, of Robinson, pleaded guilty in August, admitting they broke into vehicles, stole checks and IDs and committed identity theft to steal thousands of dollars from banks, according to a Jan. 18 news release.
"Committing identity theft threatens the financial security of victims," Rachelle Aud Crowe, U.S. attorney for Illinois' Southern District, said in the release. "This couple disregarded the lives they were hurting, and I commend our law enforcement partners and investigators for bringing justice to the affected families."
A federal judge sentenced Patrick to 60 months, to be followed by five years of supervised release, and Blair to 25 months, to be followed by three years of supervised release, according to the release.
The two were apprehended in a hotel parking lot in Brazil, Indiana, as they were breaking into a vehicle, according to the release. The two initially tried to pass themselves off as other people, using identities they previously stole, "but eventually admitted to their true identities."
Police also found stolen credit cards and other financial information in Patrick's and Blair's vehicle, the release reported.
An investigation found the two used stolen identities to write and deposit fraudulent checks, forge their victims' signatures and withdraw thousands from their victims’ bank accounts in eastern Illinois and western Indiana, according to the release. They also used one of their victim's stolen information to open a bank account.
"FBI Springfield extends our appreciation to the Oblong Police Department and the Clay County Sheriff's Office for their excellent work which laid the foundation for significant charges in this case," said FBI-Springfield Field Office acting special agent in charge Shannon Fontenot in the release. "These sentences provide some justice for victims whose lives were turned upside down by criminals who stole personal information and used it for their own gain with no regard for the consequences of their actions."
