BALTIMORE, MD – Alice Gardner, 44, of Towson, Maryland, is trading her freedom for federal prison time. U.S. District Judge Ellen Hollander handed down a 37-month sentence today, followed by five years of supervised release, for her role in a brazen scheme to defraud banks and steal identities. Gardner was convicted of conspiracy to commit wire and bank fraud, and aggravated identity theft. Her accomplice, Natasha Wyche, 42, of Owings Mills, Maryland, already received a three-year sentence on the same charges in May.
The pair, along with co-defendants Chris Jordan and Cynquetta Martin, operated a sophisticated fraud, preying on vulnerable individuals – often minor children – to steal their Social Security numbers. From February 2013 through December 2014, they used these stolen identities to secure fraudulent auto loans, racking up a total loss of approximately $300,000. Judge Hollander ordered both Gardner and Wyche to pay restitution totaling $170,837.
The scheme was sickeningly simple. Wyche, for example, walked into a car dealership in Owings Mills on December 4, 2012, and applied for a $29,194 loan for a 2010 Acura TL using someone else’s SSN. She didn’t stop there. On August 30, 2014, she hit three dealerships in one day, securing loans for a 2008 Honda Odyssey ($20,409), a 2014 Hyundai Sonata ($29,368), and a 2013 Toyota Corolla ($21,247) – all under a stolen identity. Gardner wasn’t far behind, securing loans for a 2009 Toyota Camry ($12,631) and a 2009 Lexus RX350 ($22,704) on November 24, 2014, and another for a 2015 Hyundai Sonata ($32,947) on December 6, 2014.
The stolen vehicles weren’t kept for joyrides. They were quickly flipped to unsuspecting buyers through online marketplaces, with the profits divided amongst the conspirators. This wasn’t a crime of desperation; it was a calculated, cold-hearted operation designed to line the pockets of those involved at the expense of innocent victims. Jordan and Martin have already pleaded guilty and await sentencing, suggesting the investigation may not be completely closed.
United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur praised the collaborative effort that brought Gardner and Wyche to justice. The Social Security Administration – Office of Inspector General, Baltimore County Police Department, Howard County Police Department, and Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration Investigative Division all played crucial roles in unraveling the scheme. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Judson Mihok and Michael Davio were the lead prosecutors on the case.
This case serves as a stark reminder of the pervasive threat of identity theft and the lengths to which criminals will go to exploit others. While Gardner and Wyche are now facing the consequences of their actions, the victims of their fraud will likely feel the impact for years to come. The Grimy Times will continue to follow the sentencing of Jordan and Martin as the case develops.
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Key Facts
- State: Maryland
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: White Collar Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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