BUFFALO, NY – Randy Jarrett, 45, of Buffalo, New York, is headed to federal prison after being sentenced to 21 months incarceration for his role in a brazen credit card fraud scheme. U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo also ordered Jarrett to pay approximately $291,000 in restitution to the victims of the operation, a significant portion of the $330,000+ in fraudulent purchases.
The scheme, active between July and December of 2013, involved Jarrett conspiring with at least three other individuals – Ricky Butler, Tamika Favors, and his own mother, Catherine Jarrett – to illegally obtain and utilize credit card accounts belonging to unsuspecting victims. The operation wasn’t about simple theft; it was a calculated effort to exploit the financial system.
According to Assistant U.S. Attorney MaryEllen Kresse, the ringleader, Ricky Butler, used stolen personal and account information to contact financial institutions, requesting new or replacement credit cards. These cards were then shipped to addresses within the Western District of New York, specifically properties either owned or controlled by Randy Jarrett and Catherine Jarrett. Seventeen unauthorized credit cards landed in their hands, becoming tools for illicit spending.
Jarrett and his co-conspirators didn’t bother with subtlety. They brazenly used the fraudulently obtained cards to make purchases at Walmart stores and other retail establishments, racking up a total of over $330,000 in fraudulent charges. The scale of the operation points to a level of organization and a disregard for the financial harm inflicted on the victims.
The sentencing of Jarrett isn’t the end of the story. Tamika Favors and Catherine Jarrett have already been convicted and are currently awaiting their own sentencing hearings. Ricky Butler, considered a key figure in the conspiracy, is scheduled to face trial in February of 2018. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, led by James P. Kennedy, Jr., is pursuing the case with vigor.
The investigation, a collaborative effort between the United States Postal Inspection Service (under Acting Inspector-in-Charge Ray Moss of the Boston Division) and the United States Secret Service (under Special Agent-in-Charge Lewis Robinson), demonstrates the commitment of federal agencies to combatting access device fraud and bringing perpetrators to justice. This case serves as a stark reminder that identity theft and financial crimes carry serious consequences.
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Key Facts
- Agency: U.S. Secret Service
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Press Release
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