Eight Alabama Residents, Identity Theft, Alabama 2023

Eight Alabama Residents Sentenced for $24 Million Identity Theft Ring

Eight residents of Alabama and Georgia were sentenced to serve more than 31 years in prison, collectively, for their roles in a $24 million stolen identity refund fraud conspiracy. The ring targeted over 9,000 individuals, including U.S. Army personnel and Alabama state agency employees.

The defendants, all from Phenix City and Columbus, Georgia, stole identities from the U.S. Army, Alabama state agencies, a Georgia call center, and a Georgia company. They then used this information to file false tax returns, claiming over $24 million in refunds. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) paid out close to $10 million in refunds on these fraudulent claims.

Tracy Mitchell, the ringleader, was sentenced to serve 159 months in prison, three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a forfeiture judgment in the amount of $329,242. Talarius Paige was sentenced to serve 60 months in prison, three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $762,512 in restitution to the IRS. Mequetta Snell-Quick was sentenced to serve 24 months and one day in prison, two years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $199,471 in restitution to the IRS.

Defendants and Sentences:

• Tracy Mitchell, Identity Theft, Phenix City, Alabama - 159 months in prison, three years of supervised release, $329,242 forfeiture judgment
• Talarius Paige, Identity Theft, Phenix City, Alabama - 60 months in prison, three years of supervised release, $762,512 restitution to the IRS
• Mequetta Snell-Quick, Identity Theft, Columbus, Georgia - 24 months and one day in prison, two years of supervised release, $199,471 restitution to the IRS
• Latasha Mitchell, Identity Theft, Phenix City, Alabama - 36 months in prison, two years of supervised release, $513,821 restitution to the IRS
• Dameisha Mitchell, Identity Theft, Phenix City, Alabama - 65 months in prison, three years of supervised release, $440,176 restitution to the IRS
• Sharonda Johnson, Identity Theft, Phenix City, Alabama - 24 months in prison, two years of supervised release, $440,176 restitution to the IRS
• Patrice Taylor, Identity Theft, Midland, Georgia - 12 months and one day in prison, two years of supervised release, $28,783 restitution to the IRS
• Cynthia Johnson, Identity Theft, Phenix City, Alabama - two years of probation, $5,047 restitution to the IRS

Keisha Lanier's sentencing is scheduled for August 24, while Tamaica Hoskins was sentenced to 145 months in prison on June 25. Tamika Floyd, a defendant in a related case, was sentenced to 87 months in prison on May 19.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/eight-defendants-sentenced-24-million-stolen-identity-tax-refund-fraud-ring