Irving Identity Thief Pleads Guilty, Faces Up to Five Years

SHREMAN, Texas – Jose Otero, also known as Jorge Osorio Morales, a 39-year-old resident of Irving, Texas, has pleaded guilty to leading an identity theft ring in the Eastern District of Texas. The case was announced by U.S. Attorney John M. Bales today.

Otero, who admitted using a false North Carolina driver’s license to secure private mailboxes in Irving, Plano, and Carrollton, Texas, faced charges related to conspiracy to submit false statements to the U.S. Postal Service on Jan. 30, 2015. He appeared before U.S. District Judge Amos L. Mazzant, III.

The ring’s activities were uncovered with a federal indictment returned on Mar. 15, 2012, against several conspirators. To date, six individuals have been sentenced to federal prison for their involvement. Luigi Montes of Houston received a 60-month sentence and was ordered to pay $50,381 in restitution to the IRS.

Lupe Mendoza of Houston was sentenced to 15 months and ordered to pay $31,270 to the IRS, while Tania Estafania Aguilar Gomez, also of Dallas, got 10 months with a $22,268 restitution order. Rosalba Gomez of Dallas faced five months, David Gomez of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced to 16 months, and Joana Gomez of Balch Springs, Texas, received five months.

Otero himself now faces up to five years in federal prison at sentencing, with a date yet to be set. The investigation into the case was led by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and IRS Criminal Investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Andrew Williams prosecuted the case.