A Ferguson man has been sentenced to four years in prison after pleading guilty to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft involving the stolen identities of 13 people.
Deleon Ford, 32, admitted in U.S. District Court in St. Louis that he used the personal information of others to open financial accounts, secure unsecured loans, rent a U-Haul truck, and open a cell phone account. According to court documents, Ford submitted online credit applications using other people’s identifiers and provided identification documents with his photo but bearing stolen information. He also created false pay stubs, utility bills, and bank statements as part of his scheme.
Ford further assisted an Illinois jail inmate in obtaining loans under the names of other individuals.
The total amount Ford attempted to obtain through these activities exceeded $40,000. The court ordered him to repay $26,812.
The case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security – Office of Inspector General and the Ellisville Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracy Berry prosecuted the case.
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