Peabody Man Indicted for Identity Theft and Bank Fraud

BOSTON, MA—A Peabody man was charged today in federal court with stealing bank customer identities to fraudulently withdraw bank funds.

Acting United States Attorney Michael K. Loucks and Warren T. Bamford, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation - Boston Field Division, announced that JEFFREY C. GAUTREAUX, age 25, of Peabody, MA was charged in an Indictment with seventeen counts of Bank Fraud, one count of Access Device Fraud and two counts of Aggravated Identity Theft.

The Indictment alleges that from November 2004 to February 2006, while GAUTREAUX was employed as a teller for the Bank of America, he used his access to bank customer information to steal customer names and identifications. It is alleged in the Indictment that customer information was used to make unauthorized withdrawals from bank customer accounts. It is further alleged that more than $330,000 was fraudulently withdrawn from numerous accounts before a bank customer complained and the bank conducted an investigation.

If convicted on these charges, GAUTREAUX faces up to 30 years imprisonment, to be followed by 5 years of supervised release and a $1 million fine on each count of bank fraud; 10 years in prison, 3 years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 on the Access Device Fraud charge; and 2 years imprisonment to be served consecutive to any other sentence imposed on the charge of Aggravated Identity Theft.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with the assistance of Bank of America. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Victor A. Wild of the U.S. Attorney’s Economic Crimes Unit.

The details contained in the Indictment are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.