UNITED STATES ATTORNEY JOYCE WHITE VANCE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF ALABAMA
	FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE			CONTACT: STACY CRANE
	THURSDAY JULY 9 , 2009			PHONE: (205) 244-2001
	www.usdoj.gov/usao/aln			FAX: (205) 244-2171

BIRMINGHAM WOMAN SENTENCED TO 57 MONTHS IN PRISON FOR
CREDIT CARD FRAUD AND AGGRAVATED IDENTITY THEFT

            BIRMINGHAM, AL - United States Attorney Joyce White Vance of the Northern District of Alabama and Special Agent in Charge Roy D. Sexton of the United States Secret Service announced  that STEPHANIE NICHOLE BURT was sentenced July 8, 2009 for access-device fraud, commonly known as credit card fraud and aggravated identity theft.

            Burt, a 30-year-old Birmingham resident, pled guilty to the charges in December 2008.  In her plea agreement, Burt admitted to using counterfeit credit cards, two of which had genuine account numbers for BBVA Compass customers and one of which had the genuine account number for a customer of the First National Bank (“FNB”) of Omaha, Nebraska.  In her plea agreement, Burt agreed that her fraudulent charges on these three counterfeit cards exceeded $16,000, and she stipulated to an order requiring her to forfeit $3,474.98 to the United States as part of her punishment.

            During a sentencing hearing in Birmingham today, the United States District Judge Karon O.  Bowdre ordered Burt to serve 33 months in prison for credit-card fraud, which was the maximum sentence under the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines.  Judge Bowdre also ordered that Burt serve an additional 24 months in custody, after her 33-month sentence, for the aggravated identity theft offenses.  Judge Bowdre ordered Burt to pay over $15,000 in restitution and stated that she would enter a forfeiture order in the amount stipulated in the plea agreement.

            In reaching her decision to impose a top-range sentence, Judge Bowdre stated that Burt’s criminal history assessment under the Sentencing Guidelines under represented the seriousness of BURT’s criminal history, which Judge Bowdre characterized as a “ten year crime spree” of property crimes.

            This case was investigated by Special Agent Owen L. Igo of the United States Secret Service, and assistance was provided by corporate security for BBVA Compass and First National Bank of Omaha, Nebraska.  Assistant United States Attorneys Melissa K. Atwood and Davis A. Barlow prosecuted this case.