Baltimore Jail Inmate and Co-Defendant Indicted in Scheme to Fraudulently Use the Identity of a Correctional Officer’s Wife

Baltimore, Maryland – A federal grand jury indicted Dontae Small, age 42, an inmate at the Baltimore City Detention Center (BCDC) and Kimberly Duckfield, a/k/a “Sincere,” age 29, of Hagerstown, Maryland on charges arising from a scheme to defraud a financial institution through credit card fraud.

The indictment was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Kevin Perkins of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; and Commissioner Kevin Davis of the Baltimore Police Department.

According to the two count indictment, while an inmate at BCDC, Small unlawfully obtained and recorded the name and credit card number of the wife of a correctional officer at the BCDC.  Small then provided this information to Duckfield.  From January 4, 2016 to January 19, 2016, Duckfield used the credit card number to pay her telephone bill and buy goods and services.

Both defendants face a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison for bank fraud; and a mandatory minimum of two years in prison for aggravated identity theft consecutive to any other sentence.  Duckfield had her initial appearance last Friday and has been detained.  An initial appearance has not yet been scheduled for Small.

The Maryland Identity Theft Working Group has been working since 2006 to foster cooperation among local, state, federal, and institutional fraud investigators and to promote effective prosecution of identity theft schemes by both state and federal prosecutors. This case, as well as other cases brought by members of the Working Group, demonstrates the commitment of law enforcement agencies to work with financial institutions and businesses to address identity fraud, identify those who compromise personal identity information, and protect citizens from identity theft.

Today’s announcement is part of the efforts undertaken in connection with the President’s Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force.  The task force was established to wage an aggressive, coordinated and proactive effort to investigate and prosecute financial crimes.  With more than 20 federal agencies, 94 U.S. attorneys’ offices, and state and local partners, it’s the broadest coalition of law enforcement, investigatory and regulatory agencies ever assembled to combat fraud.  Since its formation, the task force has made great strides in facilitating increased investigation and prosecution of financial crimes; enhancing coordination and cooperation among federal, state and local authorities; addressing discrimination in the lending and financial markets; and conducting outreach to the public, victims, financial institutions and other organizations.  Since fiscal year 2009, the Justice Department has filed over 18,000 financial fraud cases against more than 25,000 defendants.  For more information on the task force, please visit www.StopFraud.gov.

An indictment is not a finding of guilt.  An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings. 

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the FBI and Baltimore City Police Department for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Sandra Wilkinson, who is prosecuting the case.