Rafael Angel Reyes Menjivar, Aggravated Identity Theft, Florida 2013

Fort Myers, Florida - A Collier County man has been sentenced to three years in prison for possessing 15 or more unauthorized access devices and for aggravated identity theft, announced the United States Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Florida.

Rafael Angel Reyes Menjivar, 23, of Naples, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge John E. Steele for his crimes. Menjivar pleaded guilty on February 25, 2015.

According to his plea agreement, on February 5, 2013, during the execution of a search warrant by the Collier County Sheriff’s Office, Menjivar was found to be in possession of 101 unauthorized access devices, namely Social Security Numbers (SSN) of other individuals. He possessed these SSNs with the intent to file fraudulent income tax returns.

Approximately 16 income tax returns were electronically filed with the IRS using the personal identification information of others without lawful authority. The total amount of the requested tax refunds was $64,547. Each of the tax refunds was stopped at the service center.

The case was investigated by the United States Secret Service and the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, with assistance from the Collier County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Yolande G. Viacava.

The investigation revealed that Menjivar used the stolen SSNs to file the tax returns, seeking refunds that were ultimately stopped by the IRS. The case highlights the importance of protecting personal identification information and the consequences of using it for illicit purposes.

Menhjivar's sentence reflects the seriousness of his crimes and the need to hold individuals accountable for their actions. The U.S. Attorney's Office will continue to work with law enforcement agencies to investigate and prosecute cases of identity theft and unauthorized access device crimes.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdfl/pr/collier-county-man-sentenced-possessing-unauthorized-access-devices-and-aggravated