Indictment: Man Used Stolen Identities To Apply for Car Loans

WICHITA, KAN. – A Wichita man was indicted Tuesday on federal charges of using stolen identities to applying for car loans, U.S. Attorney Tom Beall said.

 

Reu Charles Chamberlain, 30, Wichita, Kan., is charged with three counts of wire fraud and three counts of aggravated identity theft. The indictment alleges he used identification bearing his picture along with information from stolen identities to apply for the following car loans:

-- $48,902 for a 2016 Dodge challenger at Eddy’s Chrysler Jeep Dodge.

-- $44,746 for a 2015 Dodge Challenger at Midway Motors.

-- $30,740 for a 2013 Cadillac CTS at Super Car Guys.

 

If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on each wire fraud count, and a mandatory two years (consecutive) on each of the other counts. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Metzger is prosecuting.

 

 

OTHER GRAND JURY INDICTMENTS

 

Heraclio Estrella-Montero, 30, who is unlawfully in in the United States; Yoan Alejandro Castillo-Zamora, 30, who is unlawfully in the United States; Fernando Chavez-Rodriguez, 40, who is unlawfully in the United States; Michael Cura, 43, Edinburg, Texas; and Richard Slauenwhite, 33, Rio Grande, Texas, are charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. The crimes are alleged to have occurred Jan. 9 to Jan. 13, 2017, in Shawnee County, Kan.

 

If convicted, they face a penalty of not less than 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $10 million. The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Greg Hough is prosecuting.

 

George S. James, 48, Brookhaven, Ga., is charged with one count of wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft.

 

James first appeared in court Jan. 24 on a criminal complaint charging him with wire fraud. The indictment adds an aggravated identity theft count. James is accused of carrying out an e-mail spoofing scheme that cost Sedgwick County $566,000. He is alleged to have stolen the identity of a Cornejo and Sons executive so he could divert a payment the county meant to send to the company.

 

If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on the wire fraud count and a mandatory two years (consecutive) on the identity theft charge. The FBI, the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office and the Wichita Police Department investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Metzger is prosecuting.

 

Greggory K. O’Neal, 33, Derby, Kan., Sarah Beth Myers, 20, El Dorado, Kan., and Ashley N. Moore, 30, Wichita, Kan., are charged with drug trafficking. O’Neal is charged with four counts of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine (counts 1, 3, 5 and 6), two counts of possession with intent to distribute marijuana (counts 2 and 4) and one count of distributing methamphetamine (count 7). Meyers and Moore are charged with one count each of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine (counts 3 and 6 respectively). The crimes are alleged to have occurred in 2015 and 2016 in Sedgwick County, Kan.

 

Upon conviction, the crimes carry the following penalties:

Counts 1, 6 and 7: Not less than 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $10 million.

Counts 2 and 4: Up to five years and a fine up to $250,000.

Counts 3 and 5: Not less than five and not more than 40 years and a fine up to $5 million.

 

The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Wichita Police Department and the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lanny Welch is prosecuting.

 

Samuel Garcia-Ayala, 34, a citizen of Mexico, is charged with one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a person unlawfully in the United States, one count of unlawful possession of a false document, and one count of aggravated identity theft. He was found Jan. 3, 2017, in Ford County, Kan.

 

If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on the firearm charge and the document charge, and a mandatory two years (consecutive) on the identity theft charge. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement Removal Operations investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Anderson is prosecuting.

 

Juan Manuel Araujo-Gutierrez, 31, a citizen of Mexico, is charged with one count of unlawfully re-entering the United states after being deported. He was found Jan. 5, 2017, in Reno county, Kan.

 

If convicted, he faces up to two years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement Removal Operations investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Anderson is prosecuting.

 

Irineo Martinez-Merino, 36, a citizen of Mexico, is charged with one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a person unlawfully in the United States. The crime is alleged to have occurred May 5, 2016, in Marion County, Kan.

 

If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement Removal Operations investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Anderson is prosecuting.

 

Genaro Herrera-Hernandez, 32, a citizen of Mexico, is charged with one count of unlawfully re-entering the United states after being convicted of a crime and deported. He was found Dec. 22, 2016, in Sedgwick County, Kan.

 

If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. Homeland Security Investigations investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Anderson is prosecuting.

 

Wade A. Dunn, 28, Wichita, Kan., is charged with one count of unlawful possession of a firearm following a felony conviction. The crime is alleged to have occurred Oct. 5, 2016, in Sedgwick County, Kan.

 

If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Lind is prosecuting.

 

Kip Allen Koch, 44, Chanute, Kan., is charged with four counts of distributing methamphetamine The crimes are alleged to have occurred in July and August 2016 in Neosho County, Kan.

 

If convicted, he faces a penalty of not less than 10 years on two of the counts and not less than five years on the other two counts. He also faces a fine up to $10 million on two of the counts and up to $5 million on the other two counts. The Kansas Bureau of Investigation investigated. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Rodebaugh is prosecuting.

 

 

Miguel Lizarraga Sauceda, 21, Federal Way, Wash., is charged with one count of possession with one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. The crime is alleged to have occurred Dec. 27, 2016, in Seward County, Kan.

 

If convicted, he faces not less than 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $10 million. The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Rodebaugh is prosecuting.

 

Osvaldo Aguilar, 25, a resident of Mexico, is charged with possession with intent to distribute approximately 19.7 kilograms of cocaine. The crime is alleged to have occurred Dec. 30, 2016, in Clark County, Kan.

 

If convicted, he faces not less than 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $10 million. The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Rodebaugh is prosecuting.

 

 

In all cases, defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. The indictments merely contain allegations of criminal conduct.