FORMER LAW FIRM OFFICE MANAGER SENTENCED TO TWO YEARS IN PRISON
BECKLEY, W.Va. – A Raleigh County, West Virginia woman was sentenced yesterday by United States District Judge Irene C. Berger to two years in prison for aggravated identity theft. Stephanie R. Williams, 39, of Bradley, West Virginia pleaded guilty in December 2009, admitting she had opened two credit cards using her employers' personal identifying information. According to court documents, Williams was hired as an office manager at a two-person law firm in Beckley, West Virginia in August 2007. In March 2008, Williams obtained the personal identifying information of the two lawyers, including social security numbers, and opened two unauthorized credit cards, one in each of their names. Williams then used the credit cards for personal expenses and incurred over $12,000 in unauthorized debt.
The Investigation was conducted by the United States Secret Service. Assistant United States Attorney Thomas C. Ryan handled the prosecution. This case was prosecuted as a part of the United States Attorney's identity theft initiative.
If you or someone you know is a victim of identity theft, visit the Federal Trade Commission's website for consumers. To prevent your identity from being stolen, review your consumer credit reports annually; shred and destroy unwanted documents that contain personal information; deposit mail in the U.S. Postal Service collection boxes; and do not leave mail in your mailbox overnight or on weekends. For more information on prevention, visit this link.
