SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A gritty tale of identity theft and bank fraud has culminated in a prison term for Trevor Kintaro Lichnock-Gembe, 29, of Fair Oaks. The defendant has been sentenced to four years and 10 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Morrison C. England Jr., according to United States Attorney Phillip A. Talbert.
Between June 14, 2015, and June 1, 2016, Lichnock-Gembe and co-defendant Shellby L. Moore, 29, of Sacramento, engaged in a brazen scheme. They stole mail and gained access to personal financial information through residential and vehicle burglaries across Placer, Sacramento, and El Dorado Counties.
The duo exploited this data by altering and cashing checks at local banks and credit unions. Lichnock-Gembe, who possessed over five stolen victim identifications, also opened multiple bank accounts using the stolen personal information to deposit checks and withdraw cash.
Lichnock-Gembe’s arrest came on June 1, 2016, as he was leaving a Sacramento apartment complex after another mail theft. Rafael Nunez, Inspector in Charge of the San Francisco Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, emphasized the collaborative efforts between postal inspectors and local law enforcement to bring these criminals to justice.
This investigation was a joint effort of the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office, with Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Rodriguez spearheading the prosecution. Moore, Lichnock-Gembe’s co-defendant, pleaded guilty to aggravated ID theft and using methamphetamine while in federal custody earlier this year and is awaiting sentencing.
As the justice system continues to address these white-collar crimes, it underscores the importance of vigilance in protecting personal information and the critical role played by postal inspectors and local law enforcement in combating identity theft.
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Key Facts
- State: California
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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