A Florida man has been sentenced to federal prison for using another person’s identity to get a job, unemployment benefits, and food stamps.
Michael Barrington Douglas, 52, of Winter Garden, was sentenced to two years and one day in federal prison, followed by one year of supervised release, for aggravated identity theft and false representation of a Social Security number. As part of his sentence, Douglas also must pay restitution to the Florida Department of Commerce and U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Douglas entered a guilty plea on January 17, 2024, in U.S. District Court in Orlando. According to court documents, Douglas was born in Jamaica and entered the United States on an immigrant visa in 1991. However, in 1999, an immigration judge ordered Douglas removed from the United States after he was convicted of felony firearm and drug offenses.
Instead of leaving the country, Douglas assumed the identity of J.M., a U.S. citizen, and remained in the United States. On April 8, 2021, Douglas obtained a Florida driver license in J.M.’s name and date of birth, falsely claiming he was a U.S. citizen and presenting J.M.’s birth certificate and Social Security card.
Douglas used J.M.’s identity to apply for and obtain employment at a hotel in Lake Buena Vista from 2012 to 2023. He was furloughed for a period during the COVID-19 pandemic, during which he applied for and received unemployment insurance and Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC) benefits using J.M.’s identity.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Department of Agriculture – Office of Inspector General, the U.S. Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General, and the Social Security Administration – Office of the Inspector General. It was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Del Mastro and Assistant United States Attorney Richard Varadan.
The investigation revealed that Douglas also used J.M.’s identity to apply for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, which he received and spent at various locations in the Middle District of Florida.
According to court documents, Douglas’s scheme caused significant financial losses for the government and other individuals. The full extent of the financial losses is not yet known. However, Douglas’s sentence includes a requirement to pay restitution to the affected parties.
The case highlights the importance of verifying the identities of individuals in order to prevent these types of crimes from occurring. It also underscores the seriousness of the consequences for those who engage in identity theft and other forms of financial fraud.
The U.S. Department of Justice is committed to holding accountable those who commit these types of crimes and to protecting the public from the harm caused by identity theft and other forms of financial fraud.
This case serves as a reminder that the U.S. Department of Justice will vigorously investigate and prosecute these types of crimes and will work to bring those responsible to justice.
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Key Facts
- State: Florida
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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