MOBILE, AL – A Knoxville, Tennessee woman with a lengthy history of federal fraud convictions has been sentenced to more than four years in prison for a new scheme targeting banks and student loan programs. Ramie Renee Marston, 53, received a 54-month sentence after pleading guilty in April 2022 to charges of bank fraud and aggravated identity theft.
This isn’t Marston’s first rodeo. Court records reveal she previously served time for multiple federal felony fraud offenses in New Hampshire, including access device fraud, false identification documents, social security fraud, and bankruptcy fraud. Released from prison on August 10, 2018, Marston quickly partnered with her newlywed husband, Robert Alan Peters, a convicted armed bank robber from Oregon. The pair wasted no time relocating to the Southern District of Alabama, where Peters was already under the watchful eye of the U.S. Probation Office.
Just three days after her release, on August 13, 2018, Marston and Peters walked into a Regions Bank branch in Tillman’s Corner. Surveillance footage shows the couple opening two new accounts funded with demonstrably fraudulent checks. Marston admitted she knew the checks were bogus, containing inaccurate and invalid account numbers. They subsequently drained the accounts, costing the bank a significant sum. It was a classic con, executed with chilling efficiency.
The fraud didn’t stop there. On December 7, 2018, Marston attempted to secure a student loan from Sallie Mae to attend Remington College in Mobile. She fabricated information on the application, falsely claiming an individual was co-signing the loan without their knowledge or consent. Marston brazenly used the victim’s name, social security number, and date of birth – a clear case of aggravated identity theft.
Senior United States District Judge Callie V.S. Granade handed down the 54-month sentence, followed by a five-year term of supervised release. The terms of her release include mandatory substance abuse testing and treatment, mental health evaluation and treatment, and restrictions on her ability to obtain credit. While Judge Granade refrained from imposing a fine, Marston was ordered to pay $12,858.35 in restitution to the victims and $200 in special assessments.
Marston’s accomplice, Robert Alan Peters, didn’t live to see the sentencing. He died in May 2022 while awaiting trial in the case. The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Secret Service, with Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sinan Kalayoglu and Justin Roller prosecuting the case. U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama announced the sentencing, a small victory in a relentless battle against repeat offenders preying on the financial system.
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Key Facts
- Agency: U.S. Secret Service
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Press Release
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