New York Man Pleads Guilty to Aggravated Identity Theft and Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud

NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announces the guilty plea of TERRANCE NEALY, age 32, of Rockville Center, New York, to charges of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft.  NEALY entered his plea on November 13, 2019 before U.S. District Judge Martin L.C. Feldman.

According to court documents, members of the Louisiana Financial Crimes Task Force received information that NEALY and his co-defendant, Myles Nicholas, would be flying to New Orleans from New York on the morning of June 21, 2019.  Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office deputies and U.S. Secret Service agents initiated surveillance at New Orleans International Airport, where they observed NEALY and Nicholas arrive on their flight from New York’s JFK Airport.  NEALY and Nicholas then rented a car and immediately drove to Baton Rouge.  While in Baton Rouge, the defendants attempted to open a fraudulent credit card account at two Best Buy stores using a stolen identity.  They then traveled back to New Orleans where they were arrested by state and federal law enforcement.

NEALY’S co-defendant Myles Nicholas’s re-arraignment is scheduled for November 20, 2019.

As to the charge of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, NEALY faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison, a $1,000,000.00 fine, and up to five years of supervised release.  As to the aggravated identity theft, NEALY must receive a mandatory sentence of two years in prison that must be served consecutively to any other sentence.  He may also be fined up to $250,000.00, and he may receive up to one year of supervised release.  Sentencing is set for Wednesday, February 5, 2019, before Judge Feldman.

U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the agencies that contributed to this conviction, which represents a coordinated effort of federal and state law enforcement authorities within the Louisiana Financial Crimes Task Force.  The Task Force includes representatives from the U.S. Secret Service, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. State Department, Internal Revenue Service, Social Security Administration-Office of Inspector General, the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, the Louisiana Attorney General’s Office, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, the New Orleans Police Department, the Covington Police Department, Hammond Police Department, Kenner Police Department, Louisiana State Police, Mandeville Police Department, Slidell Police Department, St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Office, St. John The Baptist Sheriff’s Office, St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office, Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the St. Tammany Parish District Attorney’s Office.  Assistant United States Attorney Matthew R. Payne is in charge of the prosecution.