FROM: U.S. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT
Tuesday, November 5, 2013
Alabama Husband and Wife Plead Guilty to Identity Theft Scheme
Mary Young and Christian Young each pleaded guilty yesterday to one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and one count of aggravated identity theft for their role in a stolen identity refund fraud (SIRF) scheme , announced Assistant Attorney General Kathryn Keneally of the Justice Department's Tax Division and U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Alabama George L. Beck Jr.
According to court documents, between January 2010 and June 2012, Mary Young, Christian Young, Octavious Reeves and others obtained stolen identities from individuals and used those stolen identities to file false tax returns. The false tax returns were filed from the Youngs’ residence and the conspirators directed the false tax refunds to prepaid debit cards in the names of the identity theft victims. The Youngs and others used the prepaid debit cards to withdraw the fraudulent proceeds, which allegedly totaled over $400,000.
Sentencing has not yet been scheduled. The Youngs each face a minimum sentence of two years imprisonment with a maximum of twelve years, as well as three years of supervised release, restitution and a maximum fine of $250,000, or twice the loss caused by the offense. Reeves previously pleaded guilty and will be sentenced on Feb. 19, 2013.
The case was investigated by Special Agents of the IRS - Criminal Investigation. Trial Attorneys Michael Boteler, Charles Edgar Jr. and Gregory Bailey of the Department’s Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd Brown are prosecuting the case.
