Bank Teller Convicted Of Stealing Over $200,000 In U.S. Treasury Tax Refunds

BOSTON – A Lawrence man pleaded guilty yesterday for his role in depositing fraudulently obtained tax refunds into various bank accounts.

Robert A. Montero, 37, pleaded guilty today to 30 counts of theft of government property.

Montero was a bank teller at Metro Credit Union in Lawrence. In November 2011, an individual from the Lawrence area offered Montero a fee if Montero helped the individual to deposit and negotiate U.S. Treasury checks containing fraudulently obtained tax refunds through various bank accounts at Metro West Credit Union. Between November 2011 and December 2012, Montero, in his capacity as a bank teller, helped the individual to deposit and negotiate 30 U.S. Treasury checks worth $211,214. These U.S. Treasury checks had been obtained by filing false tax returns with the IRS in the names of third parties.

Montero faces a maximum term of 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, restitution, and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for January 9, 2014.

United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz, Steven D. Ricciardi, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service in Boston, and John G. Collins, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation in Boston, made the announcement today. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Maxim Grinberg of Ortiz’s Major Crimes Unit.