Identity thieves are at it again, and this time, a Texas man has been caught red-handed. Jose Otero, a 39-year-old from Irving, Texas, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to submit false statements to the U.S. Postal Service on January 30, 2015.
According to court documents, Otero used a fake North Carolina driver’s license bearing his photograph but someone else’s name to obtain private mailboxes in Irving, Plano, and Carrollton, Texas. This is a clear case of identity theft, and we’re glad to see the perpetrator behind bars.
The identity theft ring was operating in the Eastern District of Texas, and Otero is the latest to be caught. Six others have already been sentenced to federal prison for their roles in the scheme. Luigi Montes, 34, of Houston, was sentenced to 60 months in federal prison on June 28, 2013, for conspiracy to submit false statements to the U.S. Postal Service and false claims to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). He was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $50,381 to the IRS.
Lupe Mendoza, 33, of Houston, was sentenced to 15 months in federal prison on April 15, 2013, for conspiracy to make a false statement to the U.S. Postal Service and ordered to pay restitution to the IRS in the amount of $31,270. Tania Estafania Aguilar Gomez, 27, of Dallas, was sentenced to 10 months in federal prison on February 15, 2013, and ordered to pay restitution of $22,268 to the IRS.
Rosalba Gomez, 48, of Dallas, was sentenced to five months in federal prison on February 15, 2013. David Gomez, 23, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced to 16 months in federal prison on November 29, 2012. Joana Gomez, 52, of Balch Springs, Texas, was sentenced to five months in federal prison on August 21, 2012.
Otero faces up to five years in federal prison at sentencing. A sentencing date has not been set. The case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and IRS Criminal Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Andrew Williams. This is a clear victory for law enforcement and a warning to those who would engage in identity theft.
We will continue to follow this case and bring you updates as more information becomes available. In the meantime, if you have any information about identity theft or other crimes, please contact the authorities immediately.
Related Federal Cases
- Jose Otero, Identity Theft Ring Leader, TX, 2023 · Nebraska
- Kenneth S. Jones, Bank Robbery, Texas 2023 · Nebraska
- Juan Manuel Perez, Aggravated Identity Theft, Texas 2014 · North Carolina
- Live Nation, Antitrust Lawsuit, New York NY, 2024 · New Mexico
- Jeffrey K. Wilson, Rent-a-Vet Identity Theft, MO 2024 · Nebraska
Key Facts
- State: Texas
- Category: Cybercrime|Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release ↗
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