Ronald Dwaine Carnes, 69, from Waterloo, Iowa, has been charged with four counts of Social Security fraud, two counts of identity theft, and one count of being a felon and fugitive from justice in possession of a firearm.
The charges are contained in an Indictment filed on July 22, 2014, in United States District Court in Cedar Rapids. The Indictment alleges that Carnes was convicted of Robbery with Firearms in North Carolina in November 1970. He allegedly escaped from prison on or about August 4, 1973.
Following his alleged escape, Carnes allegedly lived under the identities of two different persons to avoid detection by law enforcement. Carnes also allegedly used the two identities to collect Social Security benefits and to apply for Iowa drivers’ licenses. During an April 14, 2014, search of Carnes’ residence in Waterloo, Iowa, law enforcement agents allegedly found certified copies of birth certificates for both identities as well as a handgun and ammunition.
If convicted on all charges, Carnes faces a mandatory minimum sentence of two years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of thirty-four years’ imprisonment, as well as a fine, $700 in special assessments, and supervised release following any imprisonment.
Carnes appeared in federal court in Cedar Rapids and was held without bond. Carnes’ next appearance for a status hearing is set for August 27, 2014. Trial is set for September 22, 2014. As with any criminal case, a charge is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Morfitt and was investigated by the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, Office of Investigations, the Waterloo Police Department, and the Iowa Department of Transportation. Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 14-CR-2033.
This case highlights the ongoing efforts of law enforcement to apprehend and prosecute individuals who commit fraud and identity theft. The use of multiple identities and the possession of a firearm by a felon and fugitive from justice are serious crimes that pose a significant threat to public safety.
RELATED: Ronald Carnes, Escaped Felon, Faces Identity Theft & Firearm Charges
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Key Facts
- State: Iowa
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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