Jury Convicts Kane County Man for Bank Fraud, Aggravated Identity Theft

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A jury deliberated for approximately two hours this afternoon before returning guilty verdicts on all charges against a Carpentersville, Ill., man, Keith JD Offord, 24, for bank fraud and aggravated identity theft. U.S. District Judge Sue E. Myerscough presided over the trial which began Feb. 6. Sentencing is scheduled on June 18, 2018.

At trial, the government presented evidence to show that from December 2013 to August 2015, Offord used others’ identities to create false identification documents which were used at retail stores to obtain credit accounts and to buy merchandise and gift cards. Offord added photographs of a co-schemer to the fraudulent IDs, and took the co-schemer to various retail businesses. The defendant defrauded several Springfield area stores, including Bergner’s, approximately $2500; Game Stop $1500; and Sam’s Club $2170; as well as stores in the St. Louis, Mo., area in July and August 2015.

The Illinois State Police conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gregory M. Gilmore and Matthew Z. Weir represented the government at trial.

At sentencing, for the offense of bank fraud, the statutory penalty is up to 30 years in prison and for aggravated identity theft (three counts), the penalty is a mandatory two-year prison term to be served consecutive to the sentence ordered for the related fraud offense.