HAMMOND, IN – Gary Smith, 28, of Robbins, Illinois, is headed back to a cell – and will be there for a long time. The Illinois man was sentenced to 61 months in federal prison by District Court Judge Joseph Van Bokkelen for a scheme involving stolen identities and counterfeit credit card numbers, according to court documents unsealed today.
Smith wasn’t just skimming a few numbers; the fraud stretched back to August 2014. He knowingly used counterfeit access devices and stolen credit card details belonging to others, all to pull off a wire fraud scheme. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Indiana confirmed Smith acted with the intent to defraud, racking up $7,346 in losses for victims.
But the financial damage wasn’t Smith’s only problem. Investigators with the U.S. Secret Service also discovered Smith possessed equipment used to *make* the counterfeit devices – a clear escalation of the crime. This added charge of illegal possession of device-making equipment significantly increased his potential sentence. The Secret Service investigation proved crucial in building the case against Smith.
This isn’t Smith’s first trip to the system. Judge Van Bokkelen ordered that the 61-month sentence run consecutively to a sentence he is already serving in Illinois. Meaning Smith will serve the new sentence *after* completing his current state-level incarceration, effectively extending his time behind bars. He’s also been ordered to pay full restitution of $7,346 to those he victimized.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip C. Benson led the prosecution, presenting the evidence gathered by the Secret Service. The case highlights the agency’s continued focus on combating financial crimes that exploit vulnerable individuals and undermine the integrity of the financial system. While $7,346 may seem a small amount in the grand scheme of fraud, officials say every dollar stolen represents a real loss to real people.
The Department of Justice, Northern District of Indiana, has made it clear that identity theft and related crimes will be aggressively prosecuted. Smith’s case serves as a warning: exploiting stolen identities isn’t a victimless crime, and it carries significant federal penalties. The Grimy Times will continue to follow this case and report on other instances of financial malfeasance across the country.
Related Federal Cases
- Alexis Young, Aggravated Identity Theft, Hammond IN, 2016 · Arkansas
- Federico Avendano, Aggravated Identity Theft, USA 2024 · Indiana
- Alexis T. Young, Identity Theft Scheme, Indiana 2024 · Indiana
- Michael Wright, Mail & Identity Theft, Indiana 2024 · Indiana
- Alexis T. Young, Aggravated Identity Theft, Indiana 2023 · Indiana
Key Facts
- Agency: U.S. Secret Service
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Press Release
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