Man Who Stole from Bank Accounts of U.S. Marines Sentenced to 18 Months in Prison
Las Vegas, Nev. – Edgar Hermosillo, 24, a resident of El Paso, Texas, who pleaded guilty in April to conspiracy, wire fraud, and identity theft charges for stealing from the bank accounts of United States Marines stationed in Iraq, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Philip M. Pro to 18 months in prison, five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay approximately $40,000 in restitution, announced Gregory A. Brower, United States Attorney for the District of Nevada.
"To underscore Judge Pro's comments at sentencing today, the defendant betrayed his fellow Marines and the values of the Marine Corps when he committed these crimes," said U.S. Attorney Brower. "The U.S. Attorney's Office will prosecute any individual who steals from active-duty military members and particularly from those who are serving in a combat zone."
From 2001 to 2005, Hermosillo was enlisted with the United States Marine Corps. Prior to his discharge in May 2005, Hermosillo accessed United States Government computers located in Camp Pendleton, California, and unlawfully obtained bank account numbers and personal identifying information for 15 enlisted men with the U.S. Marine Corps. All of the victims' bank accounts were located at the Pacific Marine Credit Union (PMCU), a federally insured institution, which has branches in Camp Pendleton and elsewhere. After Hermosillo was discharged from the Marines, he accessed the Marines' bank accounts over the Internet and caused funds to be transferred from their accounts to his bank account and the bank accounts of his family members. Impersonating several account holders, Hermosillo also made or caused to be made telephone calls to PMCU employees and directed them to wire money from the victim bank accounts to Western Union locations in Nevada, Texas, and New Mexico.
Hermosillo also created several false United States Government identification cards bearing his photograph and the name of the victim account holders, and presented them to Western Union locations in Nevada, Texas, and New Mexico, in order to obtain money from the accounts of several Marines. The conspiracy involved the compromising of approximately 26 bank accounts and resulted in a total loss of approximately $39,094.
This case was investigated by the United States Navy Criminal Investigation Service and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ray Gattinella.
