Woman Pleads Guilty to Stolen ID Bank Fraud

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – In a shocking case of identity theft and bank fraud, a Maryland woman pleaded guilty to her involvement in a scheme that netted a whopping $32,705.

Vanetra Brown, 25, of Capitol Heights, impersonated identity theft victims at local commercial banks in order to cash stolen U.S. Treasury checks. Brown used false driver’s licenses, false social security numbers, and other fraudulent means to dupe banks in Northern Virginia and Washington, D.C. into negotiating the stolen checks.

Brown pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and faces a maximum of 30 years in prison when sentenced on June 8. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The brazen scheme involved Brown cashing the stolen checks at various banks in the region, leaving a trail of deceit and financial ruin in her wake. Authorities say the scheme resulted in a significant loss for the U.S. Treasury.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nathaniel Smith III and Grace L. Hill. Tracy Doherty-McCormick, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Eric M. Thorson, Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Treasury, Daniel W. Lucas, Inspector General for the District of Columbia, and Robert B. Wemyss, Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis III accepted the plea.

A copy of the plea agreement is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:18-cr-14.

Brown’s guilty plea marks a significant victory for law enforcement in the region, who have been working tirelessly to combat identity theft and bank fraud schemes.

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