Three people have been sentenced to federal prison for defrauding a 93-year-old woman, the U.S. Attorney's Office announced Wednesday. They were convicted on bank fraud and aggravated identity theft charges.
It all started with a stolen wallet.
According to authorities, Samantha Johnson, 38, of Conyers, took a wallet from the victim while she was shopping in Conyers in January 2011. The wallet contained a credit union debit card, the personal identification number (PIN) needed to access the funds, checking account numbers and other personal information.
Johnson shared the information with 21-year-old Danyez Hines of Manchester and 36-year-old Carlos Garcia, an Atlanta man who at the time was in Valdosta State Prison for defrauding elderly people, according to the news release.
Johnson and Hines contacted Garcia through a cellphone that had been smuggled to him. The trio attempted to access the more than $120,000 in the woman's accounts, including making wire transfers to Garcia's prisoner account.
Hines and Johnson ordered new checks and had them sent to Hines' grandmother's address, then Hines forged the victim's signature. The defendants also called the credit union and transferred money between accounts, according to authorities.
“They exhibited a remarkable callousness toward the impact that their criminal conduct would have on their elderly victim,” U.S. Attorney Sally Quillian Yates said in the news release.
The woman and her family reported the fraud to the credit union, which froze her account before the loss was substantial, officials said.
Garcia, who pleaded guilty in June, was sentenced Wednesday to 6 years 9 months in prison and order to pay restitution of more than $3,000.
Hines was sentenced to 2 years 10 months in prison in August after pleading guilty in May. He must pay more than $1,700 in restitution.
Johnson received a prison sentence of 5 years 10 months in August after pleading guilty in June. She was ordered to pay more than $3,000 in restitution.
All three defendants will have five years of supervised release after their prison time.
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