RAPID CITY, SD – A Maryland man is headed to federal prison after admitting his role in a sophisticated identity theft scheme that bled Midwest financial institutions for over $60,000. Victor Sasay, a/k/a Victor Sesay, 38, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, was sentenced to 24 months behind bars on August 6, 2018, by Chief Judge Jeffrey L. Viken of the U.S. District Court. The sentence also includes a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund and a hefty $60,399.47 in restitution, to be paid jointly with his two accomplices.
Sasay pleaded guilty back in March to Aiding and Abetting Aggravated Identity Theft. The investigation revealed a network using counterfeit access devices – manipulated credit and debit cards – loaded with account numbers stolen from hundreds of victims across the Midwest. The crew wasn’t interested in small purchases; they were after high-dollar items, specifically credit and gift cards acquired from various stores in South Dakota and neighboring states.
The impact wasn’t limited to retail losses. Local credit unions, along with other FDIC-insured banks throughout the region, absorbed approximately $60,000 in financial damage due to the scheme. The operation stretched beyond South Dakota’s borders, drawing in law enforcement from multiple jurisdictions. Investigators from the South Dakota Highway Patrol, the Secret Service, and the Department of Homeland Security, Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement all contributed to unraveling the operation.
The investigation wasn’t a solo effort. Police departments from Rapid City, Spearfish, and Sturgis, South Dakota, as well as Wheatland, Douglas, Laramie, Gillette, and Casper, Wyoming, all pitched in to build the case against Sasay and his crew. Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Poppen led the prosecution, successfully securing the conviction and subsequent sentencing.
Sasay wasn’t the only one facing consequences. Roy Conteh, a codefendant in the case, also pleaded guilty on March 21, 2018, and received the same 24-month sentence, along with identical financial penalties. Both men were immediately handed over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service to begin serving their time. This case underscores the reach of modern financial crime and the importance of interagency cooperation in bringing perpetrators to justice.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Dakota is sending a clear message: exploiting stolen identities and defrauding financial institutions will not be tolerated. While the initial damage is significant, the restitution order aims to provide some measure of relief to the affected banks and credit unions. This conviction serves as a warning to others contemplating similar criminal activity – the Secret Service and its partners are watching.
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Key Facts
- Agency: U.S. Secret Service
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Press Release
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