A Ferguson man has been sentenced to four years in prison for stealing the identities of 13 people to apply for loans and other goods. U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey handed down the sentence on Tuesday and ordered Deleon Ford, 32, to pay $26,812 in restitution.
Ford pleaded guilty in March in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft. According to court records, he used stolen identities to open financial accounts, obtain unsecured loans, rent a U-Haul truck, and open a cell phone account. He submitted online credit applications using others’ information, transmitted or hand-delivered identification documents bearing his picture with stolen identifiers, and created fake pay stubs, utility bills, and bank statements.
Authorities said Ford also assisted an Illinois jail inmate in obtaining loans under other people’s names.
In total, Ford admitted to stealing the identities of 13 individuals in attempts to secure more than $40,000 worth of loans and services.
The Department of Homeland Security – Office of Inspector General and the Ellisville Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracy Berry prosecuted it.
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