Stockton Woman Sentenced to over 3 Years in Prison in Credit Card Fraud and Identity Theft Scheme

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Sequoia Valverde, 33, of Stockton, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley to three years and one month in prison for conspiracy to commit credit card fraud in connection with a scheme aimed at Target REDcard account holders across the United States, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, between March 2014 and September 2014, Valverde and eight co-conspirators operated a scheme to make and use unauthorized access devices, primarily Target department store’s REDcard. Valverde and others stole victims’ personal identification information through various methods and used that information to create REDcard accounts and manufacture credit cards with magnetic strips. They used the credit cards to buy large amounts of electronics, prepaid gift cards, and other goods at Target locations throughout the Sacramento area, Northern California, and elsewhere. During the conspiracy, Valverde personally conducted at least 69 fraudulent transactions using the account information of at least 32 victims.

In all, more than 300 counterfeit and unauthorized access devices were created and over 1,000 victims have been identified to date as having had their identities compromised as a result of the conspiracy. The conspiracy resulted in more than $248,000 in losses. Six of Valverde’s eight co-defendants have pleaded guilty and await sentencing.

This case is the product of an investigation by the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Stockton Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys André M. Espinosa and Rosanne L. Rust are prosecuting the case.