US court imposes 16 year sentence for identity theft

United States District Judge James D. Whittemore sentenced Isaac Allen yesterday to 16 ½ years’ imprisonment for bank fraud and identity theft.

Last week Judge Whittemore sentenced one of Allen's co-conspirators, Tara Pasco, to 87 months' imprisonment.

Allen pleaded guilty to charges of false statements to a bank and identify theft on September 13, 2007. Pasco pleaded guilty to bank fraud and identity theft charges on October 4, 2007.

“United States District Judge James D. Whittemore sentenced Isaac Allen yesterday to 16 ½ years’ imprisonment for bank fraud and identity theft.

According to court documents, Allen and Pasco, along with other members of their ring, defrauded a series of banks, including Fifth Third Bank, BB&T, Bank of America and other financial institutions, by stealing names, social security numbers and other personal identifying information of individuals and then posing as these persons to obtain credit cards and credit lines from these financial institutions. Pasco and Allen then used the credit cards, drew down the credit lines and absconded when payment was due. They obtained more than $150,000 through this scheme.

The case was investigated by Special Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and an Inspector from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.