Florida Man Pleads Guilty to Role in Nationwide “Felony Lane Gang” Conspiracy

ALBANY, NEW YORK – Cedric Lynch, age 38, of Orlando, Florida, pled guilty today to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; Michael J. Driscoll, Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); and Putnam County Sheriff Kevin J. McConville made the announcement.

Lynch admitted that he was involved in a fraud scheme known as “Felony Lane Gang” between 2015 and 2020. Lynch and his co-conspirators traveled across the country breaking into cars, often targeting those parked by women at locations such as health and fitness centers, daycares, and parks. Lynch and other members of the conspiracy stole debit cards, credit cards, checkbooks, and photo identifications in these “smash-and-grab” vehicle thefts, and they used these stolen items to commit bank fraud by recruiting women to impersonate the smash-and-grab victims and cash checks in drive-through bank lanes. The recruited check cashers were almost always suffering from an addiction to drugs and were provided payment at least partially in narcotics. In February 2019, Lynch and co-defendant Randall Taylor used a victim’s stolen identity documents to open a bank account in the victim’s name in Chicago, which they subsequently used in furtherance of their criminal activities. Lynch admitted that the loss amount from the conspiracy that was foreseeable to him is between $40,000 and $95,000.

The charges to which Lynch pled guilty carry a minimum term of 2 years in prison and a maximum term of 30 years, a fine of up to $1.25 million, and a supervised release term of up to 5 years. Lynch will be sentenced on October 24, 2023, by United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino, who presides over the case. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.

Lynch was one of nine men charged in a 13-count indictment for their roles in the scheme, and all nine men have now pled guilty and have either been sentenced or are awaiting sentencing:

• KEYSHAWN ARNOLD, age 25, of Schenectady, New York, pled guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft, and is scheduled to be sentenced on August 4, 2023;
• GARY GRIER, age 37, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, pled guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft, and is scheduled to be sentenced on August 25, 2023;
• JOSHUA MALLORY, age 37, of Fort Lauderdale, pled guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft, and is scheduled to be sentenced on August 25, 2023;
• ROBERT NATSON, age 36, of Fort Lauderdale, pled guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and is scheduled to be sentenced on August 10, 2023;
• TERRELL McDONALD, age 32, of Troy, New York, pled guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft, and was sentenced to 65 months in prison and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $133,190;
• TYRONE PARKER, age 40, of Fort Lauderdale, pled guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft, and was sentenced to 57 months in prison and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $132,990;
• TYRONE PARKER Jr., age 22, of Fort Lauderdale, pled guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft, and is scheduled to be sentenced on September 13, 2023; and
• RANDALL TAYLOR, age 37, of Fort Lauderdale, pled guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft, and is scheduled to be sentenced on October 2, 2023.

This case was investigated by the FBI Westchester Resident Agency of the New York Field Office and the Putnam County Sheriff’s Department, with assistance from the FBI Field Offices in Albany, Miami, and Salt Lake City, and Resident Agencies in Savannah, Georgia, and Portland, Maine, and from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine, the Saratoga County District Attorney’s Office, and the Ulster County District Attorney’s Office. 

Additional assistance was provided by numerous law enforcement agencies, including, within New York, the New York State Police; Columbia County Sheriff's Office; Genesee County Sheriff’s Office; Monroe County Sheriff’s Office; Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office; Warren County Sheriff’s Office; and the police departments of the Town of Bethlehem; Glens Falls; Gloversville; Greenburgh; Greece; and Watervliet; and elsewhere, Connecticut State Police; Florida Department of Law Enforcement; Georgia State Patrol; Illinois State Police; Massachusetts State Police; Broward County, FL Sheriff’s Office; Northern York County, PA Regional Police; Southern Chester County, PA Regional Police; Utah County, UT Sheriff's Office; and the police departments of Auburn, MA; Bath, ME; Biddeford, ME; Bozeman, MT; Brunswick, ME; Caernarvon Township, PA; Chester Township, PA; Cinnaminson, NJ; Darien, CT; East Norriton Township, PA; Easthampton, MA; Greenwich, CT; Lower Moreland Township, PA; Manheim Township, PA; Portland, ME; Portsmouth, NH; Saco, ME; Salisbury, MA; Sanford, ME; Scarborough, ME; Somersworth, NH; South Portland, ME; St. George, UT; Syracuse, UT; Tinicum, PA; Towamencin, PA; Tewksbury, MA; Wakefield, MA; Yarmouth, ME; and York, ME. 

Assistant United States Attorneys Matthew J. McCrobie, Michael F. Perry, and Paul Tuck are prosecuting the case.