Irving, Texas Man Guilty in Identity Theft Ring

Department of Justice
Office of Public Affairs

SHERMAN, Texas – A 39-year-old Irving, Texas man has pleaded guilty for his role in an identity theft ring operating in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney John M. Bales today.

Jose Otero, also known as Jorge Osorio Morales, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to submit false statements to the U.S. Postal Service on Jan. 30, 2015, before U.S. District Judge Amos L. Mazzant, III.

According to information presented in court, Otero admitted that he used a false North Carolina driver’s license bearing his photograph but bearing the name of someone else to obtain private mail boxes in Irving, Plano, and Carrollton, Texas.

A federal indictment was returned on Mar. 15, 2012 against a number of conspirators in the scheme.  At this time, six others have been sentenced to federal prison for their roles.  Luigi Montes, 34, of Houston was sentenced to 60 months in federal prison on June 28, 2013 for conspiracy to submit false statements to the U.S. Postal Service and false claims to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).  Montes was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $50,381 to the IRS.  Lupe Mendoza, 33, of Houston, was sentenced to 15 months in federal prison on Apr. 15, 2013 for conspiracy to make a false statement to the U.S. Postal Service and ordered to pay restitution to the IRS in the amount of $31,270. Tania Estafania Aguilar Gomez, 27, of Dallas, was sentenced to 10 months in federal prison on Feb. 15, 2013 and ordered to pay restitution of $22,268 to the IRS.  Rosalba Gomez, 48, of Dallas, was sentenced to five months in federal prison on Feb. 15, 2013.  David Gomez, 23, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced to 16 months in federal prison on Nov. 29, 2012.  Joana Gomez, 52, of Balch Springs, Texas, was sentenced to five months in federal prison on Aug. 21, 2012.

Otero faces up to five years in federal prison at sentencing.  A sentencing date has not been set.

This case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and IRS Criminal Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Andrew Williams