RICHMOND, VA—Billy Gene Jefferson, Jr., 52, of Richmond, Virginia, pleaded guilty today to unlawful transfer of a false identification document and to aggravated identity theft. He faces a maximum penalty of 15 years’ imprisonment on the unlawful transfer charge, to be followed by a mandatory two-year consecutive sentence for the aggravated identity theft. He also faces a fine of up to $500,000 and three years of supervised release at the time of sentencing. In the plea documents, the United States also reserved the right to argue for an upward variance or departure at sentencing based on the defendant’s obstruction of justice and related conduct that formed the basis for the allegations in count one of the indictment.

Dana J. Boente, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Mark R. Herring, Attorney General of Virginia; Thomas J. Kelly, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation’s Washington, D.C. Field Office; Adam S. Lee, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office; Gary Barksdale, Inspector in Charge of the United States Postal Inspection Service, Washington, D.C. Division; and Colonel W. Steven Flaherty, Superintendent of Virginia State Police, made the announcement after the plea was accepted by United States District Judge John A. Gibney, Jr.

At this time, Jefferson is also awaiting sentencing on Case No. 3:13CR221. In that case on December 19, 2013, Jefferson pleaded guilty to major fraud against the United States and engaging in unlawful monetary transactions. For those charges, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, restitution to the victims, a fine of up to $500,000, and three years of supervised release when he is sentenced on September 9, 2014. In supplemental plea documents filed in that case today, the parties removed a previous provision that called for an agreed sentencing recommendation to the court. The United States also reserved the right to argue for an upward departure or variance for the defendant’s conduct that formed the basis for the United States’ motion for hearing regarding defendant’s breach of plea agreement. The parties revised procedures to determine the final restitution amount depending on the final resolution of an IRS audit on a portion of the federal losses.

In the statement of facts filed in connection with today’s guilty plea, Jefferson admitted that on October 26, 2013, he created and transferred a false identification document, namely an Arkansas driver’s license in the name of “Actual Person” (the individual referenced in the pending indictment is Jefferson’s brother, J.W.J.) with the defendant’s photograph, knowing that the document was produced without lawful authority. The defendant agreed that the Arkansas driver’s license was of the type intended and commonly accepted for identifying an individual that was not issued under the authority of the state of Arkansas. Jefferson, posing as the Actual Person (referring to J.W.J.) on the fraudulent Arkansas driver’s license, caused the e-mail transfer of the identification and other documents to representatives from Aircraft Management Group Inc. (AMG Jets). The transfer was in relation to the defendant’s attempt to charter a one-way flight to Cranfield, England, with a scheduled departure date of November 2, 2013. In connection with the aggravated identity theft portion of the plea, the defendant admitted that he transferred, possessed, and used Actual Person’s (referring to J.W.J.) name and date of birth in connection with attempting to secure the charger flight. The defendant admitted that he did not have the Actual Person’s authority or permission to use the name and date of birth for these purposes.

This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation Division, Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Richmond Office, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the Virginia State Police. The Virginia Department of Historic Resources also assisted law enforcement in the investigation. Assistant United States Attorneys Michael Gill and Wingate Grant and Special Assistant United States Attorney Patrick Dorgan are prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.

This investigation has been coordinated by the Virginia Financial and Securities Fraud Task Force, an unprecedented partnership between criminal investigators and civil regulators to investigate and prosecute complex financial fraud cases in the nation and in Virginia. The task force is comprised of several federal and state agencies, including the Virginia Attorney General’s Office. The task force is an investigative arm of the President’s Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force (FFETF), an interagency national task force.

The FFETF was created in November 2009 to wage an aggressive, coordinated, and proactive effort to investigate and prosecute financial crimes. With more than 20 federal agencies, 94 U.S. attorneys’ offices, and state and local partners, it is the broadest coalition of law enforcement, investigatory, and regulatory agencies ever assembled to combat fraud. Since its formation, the task force has made great strides in facilitating increased investigation and prosecution of financial crimes; enhancing coordination and cooperation among federal, state, and local authorities; addressing discrimination in the lending and financial markets; and conducting outreach to the public, victims, financial institutions, and other organizations. Over the past three fiscal years, the Justice Department has filed more than 10,000 financial fraud cases against nearly 15,000 defendants including more than 2,700 mortgage fraud defendants. For more information on the task force, visit www.stopfraud.gov.

A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.justice.gov/usao/vae.