Two Florida Men Plead Guilty to Roles in Nationwide “Felony Lane Gang” Conspiracy

SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Joshua Mallory, age 37, and Gary Grier, age 36, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, pled guilty this week in federal court in Syracuse to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft, announced 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 (New York) Sheriff Kevin J. McConville.

In pleading guilty, Mallory and Grier admitted that they were involved in a fraud scheme known as “Felony Lane Gang” between 2015 and 2020. Mallory, Grier, and their co-conspirators traveled across the country breaking into cars, often targeting those parked by women at locations such as health and fitness centers, daycares, outdoor recreational parks, and dog parks. Mallory, Grier, 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 in drive-through bank lanes and cash checks. The recruited check cashers were almost always suffering from an addiction to controlled substances and were provided payment at least partially in narcotics. Mallory and Grier each admitted that the loss amount from the conspiracy attributable to them is at least $95,000.

The charges to which Mallory and Grier pled guilty carry a minimum sentence of 2 years in prison and a maximum sentence of 30 years, a fine of up to $1 million, and a supervised release term of up to 5 years. Mallory will be sentenced on May 1, 2023, and Grier will be sentenced on April 19, 2023. 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.

Mallory and Grier were two of nine men charged in a 13-count indictment for their roles in the scheme. Keyshawn Arnold, age 25, of Schenectady, New York; Terrell McDonald, age 32, of Troy, New York; and Tyrone Parker, age 40, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, previously pled guilty for their roles in the indictment. The remaining co-defendants are:

• TYRONE PARKER, JR. a/k/a “Ty,” a/k/a “Cheese,” a/k/a “Little Thigh,” age 22, of Fort Lauderdale;
• RANDALL TAYLOR, a/k/a “Gucci,” a/k/a “Guwop,” age 37, of Fort Lauderdale;
• CEDRIC LYNCH, a/k/a “City,” a/k/a “C,” age 37, of Orlando, Florida; and
• ROBERT NATSON, a/k/a “Big Rob,” age 36, of Fort Lauderdale.

Each of the remaining defendants is charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud and/or aggravated identity theft, and they are scheduled for trial in federal court in Syracuse on January 24, 2023.  The charges in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants whose cases remain pending are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

This case is being 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. 

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Matthew J. McCrobie and Michael F. Perry, and Special Assistant United States Attorney Paul Tuck, and it was initiated by former Assistant United States Attorney Andrew D. Beaty.