Second Wiregrass Region Defendant Sentenced for Wire Fraud and Identity Theft

           Montgomery, Alabama – Today, Acting United States Attorney Jonathan S. Ross announced that a federal judge sentenced 26-year-old Jalen Kendel Whaley, a resident of Slocomb, Alabama, to 61 months in prison for his role in an identity theft scheme.

           According to his plea agreement and other court records, in 2020, Whaley and co-defendant Courtney Jamal Byrd, 29, from Headland, Alabama, operated a scheme through which they obtained and then used stolen identifying information, identification documents, and credit or debit cards. Whaley and Byrd transferred the stolen information physically and by digital means, including social media. They then used the identity information to make fraudulent financial transactions.

            Previously, Whaley and Byrd pleaded guilty to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft in federal court. On October 3, 2023, a judge sentenced Byrd to 51 months in prison. Whaley’s sentencing occurred on October 25, 2023.

            The FBI and Dothan Police Department investigated this case, with Assistant United States Attorney J. Patrick Lamb prosecuting.