⏱ 2 min read
James Raymond Hanes, a 61-year-old man from Anderson, California, has admitted to running a massive vehicle financing scam that netted him $476,000. Between June 2022 and December 2023, Hanes used stolen identities, fake driver’s licenses, and fraudulent loans to obtain and resell cars across Northern California. He secured over $476,000 in vehicle loans in his victims’ names, purchased cars from dealerships, and resold them to unsuspecting buyers.
Hanes created at least 16 counterfeit driver’s licenses bearing his photo but someone else’s identity, which he used to register the cars with the DMV and obtain insurance. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service, with assistance from the Redding Police Department, conducted the investigation that brought Hanes to justice.
Hanes pleaded guilty to bank fraud and aggravated identity theft and is scheduled to be sentenced on October 13, 2026. He faces a maximum statutory penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine for the crime of bank fraud, with a mandatory consecutive statutory penalty of two years in prison for aggravated identity theft.
The actual sentence will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Delaney is prosecuting the case, which was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Redding Police Department.
📋 Key Facts
- Crime: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Defendant: California
- Location: CA
- Source: DOJ Press Release
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