Three Kentucky residents plead guilty to identity theft and wire fraud related charges

March 24th, 2010 - 3:50 am ICT by BNO News  

LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY (BNO NEWS) – Three Kentucky residents pleaded guilty to conspiracy to pass counterfeit checks, passing counterfeit instruments, conspiracy to pass counterfeit instruments and bank fraud, and aggravated identity theft, prosecutors said Tuesday.

Anthony Potter, age 36, Clarence Potter, age 35, and Kenneth Edwards, age 39, all of Louisville, Kentucky, were indicted as they allegedly conspired to manufacture and pass approximately $400,000 in counterfeit checks in the Louisville, Kentucky area by stealing the identifies of individuals to open bank accounts and then used the bank accounts to fraudulently obtain and pass checks between January 2006 through June 2008.

They also recruited other individuals to open bank accounts in their own names in order to deposit and negotiate stolen and counterfeit checks. They stole or caused others to steal United States mail in order to steal checks.

Anthony Potter is additionally charged for defrauding H&R Block and Jackson Hewitt tax services, recruiting individuals to file false tax returns, using false IRS forms in order to fraudulently receive refund anticipation loans.

Each count of check fraud has a maximum prison sentence of 10 years, a $250,000 fine, and supervised release for a period of 3 years, while conspiracy to commit check fraud has a maximum penalty of 5 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and supervised release for 3 years.

Furthermore, the penalty for aggravated identity theft is a mandatory 2 years’ imprisonment, which is consecutive to any other sentence, a $250,000 fine, and supervised release for a period of 3 years.

Co-conspirators Stefan Harvey and Michael Barbee both have entered pleas of not guilty and no trial date has been set.

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