June 8, 2015

Correctional Officer Sentenced to Prison for Identity Theft and Wire Fraud

JACKSONVILLE, FL—United States District Judge Timothy Corrigan today sentenced Harold Walbey, III to four years and three months in federal prison for identity theft and wire fraud. As part of his sentence, the Court also entered a money judgment in the amount of $110,756, the proceeds of the offenses. Walbey pleaded guilty on December 18, 2014.

According to court documents, beginning in 2010 and continuing through May 2012, Walbey, in his capacity as a correctional officer at the John E. Goode Pre-trial Detention Facility (PTDF), stole the personal identifying information of unknowing inmates that were housed at the facility. As a part of this scheme, Walbey maintained a notebook that contained 49 names, Social Security numbers, and dates of births of prisoners that were incarcerated at the PTDF. Once this information was stolen, fraudulent debit card accounts and W-2 forms were created in the inmates’ names, and fraudulent tax return were then electronically filed. From 2010 through 2012, Walbey filed tax returns in 38 different prisoners’ names, claiming more than $250,000 in fraudulent refunds. He received $110,756 in proceeds as a result of his involvement in this crime.

This case was investigated by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, the Internal Revenue Service—Criminal Investigation, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Malisa Chokshi.