North Carolina Man Sentenced to Seven Years in Prison for New England Identity Theft Conspiracy

BOSTON—A North Carolina man was sentenced today in federal court to seven years in prison for obtaining fake identification cards using stolen identities, opening fraudulent credit accounts at stores in New England, the Mid-Atlantic Region, and the South, and buying merchandise and gift cards under the stolen identities.

JAMES RONALD BEATY a/k/a JAMES RONALD BEATTY, 61, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Nancy Gertner to seven years of imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release, restitution to the defrauded companies and individuals, and forfeiture. BEATY had pleaded guilty to aggravated identity theft and conspiracy to commit credit card fraud on February 8, 2011.

From approximately January 7, 2010, through October 22, 2010, BEATY was part of a conspiracy that used other people’s identity information to obtain fake identification cards similar to Massachusetts drivers’ licenses and then open credit accounts at retail stores. After opening these accounts, BEATY would buy merchandise and gift cards, which he would use himself, give to co-conspirators, or sell. When BEATY was apprehended in Maine, his Mercedes was full of merchandise and gift cards purchased using one of the stolen identities. At the hearing today and in related court filings, the prosecutor noted that in 9½ months, BEATY had obtained over $529,000 in fraudulent credit and almost $290,000 in fraudulently purchased gift cards and merchandise, which affected multiple branches of 18 chain stores and 1 bank in 12 states. He purchased the items using the identities of 63 people and had obtained fake identity cards for an additional 37 people.

United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz; Steven Ricciardi, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Secret Service; Richard DesLauriers, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation - Boston Field Office; Boston Police Commissioner Edward Davis; and Commissioner Robert C. Haas of the Cambridge Police Department made the announcement today. The case was investigated by the USSS, FBI, Boston and Cambridge Police Departments, and the Auburn, Maine and Augusta, Maine Police Departments. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Scott L. Garland and Amy Harman Burkart of Ortiz’s Cybercrimes Unit.