A Bridgeport man has been sentenced to five years in federal prison for his role in a multistate identity theft scheme that defrauded dozens of individuals and businesses out of more than $1 million.
Elvis Perez, also known as ‘Pops,’ 60, of Bridgeport, was sentenced to 60 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for his participation in the scheme.
Perez was involved in a scheme led by his son-in-law, Tyshon Walker, and his daughter, Stephanie Perez, who used stolen personal information to apply for vehicle loans at dealerships in Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Rhode Island.
Walker would send ‘runners,’ including Perez, to pick up the vehicles using fictitious driver’s licenses with the identity theft victim’s information and a photograph of the runner. The vehicles were then transported back to Connecticut for resale on Facebook Marketplace.
Perez travelled to at least four different car dealerships and stole at least four different vehicles as part of the scheme. He was paid by Walker for his work acquiring and transporting each vehicle.
Perez has a lengthy criminal history, with 12 felony convictions. He has been detained since his arrest on July 19, 2023. On June 11, 2024, he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft.
Walker and Stephanie Perez have also pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing. The case has been investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s New Haven Safe Streets/Gang Task Force, the Bridgeport Police Department, the Hopkinton (R.I.) Police Department, the Westtown – East Goshen Regional (Pa.) Police Department, and the Washington Township (N.J.) Police Department.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren C. Clark and Heather M. Cherry. Perez faces a long road to recovery after serving his sentence, which is set to begin immediately.
Key Facts
- State: Connecticut
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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