Vanessa Roberts Avery, the United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, has announced that Elvis Perez, also known as "Pops," from Bridgeport, has been sentenced to five years in federal prison. U.S. District Judge Janet C. Hall in New Haven delivered the sentence, which includes 60 months of imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release. This sentencing is a result of Perez's involvement in a multistate identity theft scheme that defrauded individuals and businesses out of over $1 million.

Court documents reveal that Perez participated in an identity theft operation led by his son-in-law Tyshon Walker and daughter Stephanie Perez. Starting in September 2020, Walker acquired personal information from residents across several states to apply for vehicle loans at dealerships located in Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Rhode Island. The loans were used to purchase motorcycles and other performance vehicles using stolen identities.

Perez played a role as a "runner" who collected these vehicles using fake driver's licenses containing the victim's details but with the runner's photograph. The vehicles were then brought back to Connecticut for resale on Facebook Marketplace.

Perez was involved in stealing at least four vehicles from different dealerships during this scheme and received payment from Walker for his efforts.

His criminal record includes 12 felony convictions. He has been detained since his arrest on July 19, 2023. On June 11, 2024, he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft charges.

Walker and Stephanie Perez have also pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing.

The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s New Haven Safe Streets/Gang Task Force along with several police departments including those from Bridgeport; Hopkinton (R.I.); Westtown – East Goshen Regional (Pa.), and Washington Township (N.J.). Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren C. Clark and Heather M. Cherry are prosecuting the case.