Sioux Falls Man Indicted for ID Theft

US Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that a man living in Sioux Falls has been indicted by a federal grand jury for identity theft and related offenses.

Mark Steven Shepard, a/k/a Kellynn Daleigh Kennedy, a/k/a Kellynn Dalemay Kennedy, a/k/a Mark Oliver Gallaher, age 56, was indicted by a federal grand jury on June 5, 2012 for aggravated identity theft, passport fraud, and misuse of a Social Security number. He appeared before US Magistrate Judge John E. Simko on June 11, 2012, and pled not guilty to the indictment. The indictment alleges he obtained a South Dakota driver's license utilizing a fraudulent passport and a Social Security number that had not been issued to him.

The identity theft charge carries a mandatory penalty upon conviction of 2 years in prison, consecutive to any other sentence. The passport fraud offense carries a maximum sentence upon conviction of 10 years in prison and/or a $250,000 fine, and the Social Security card offense carries a maximum sentence upon conviction of 5 years in prison and/or a $250,000 fine. The charges are merely accusations, and Shepard is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

The investigation is being conducted by the Department of State - Diplomatic Security Service, Department of Homeland Security - Document Benefit Task Force of Minneapolis, MN, and the Social Security Administration. Assistant US Attorney Connie Larson is prosecuting the case. Shepard was remanded to the custody of the US Marshal. A trial date has not yet been set.