U.S. Department
of Justice
Related Content
Press Release
Press Release
Press Release
Ringleader Sentenced in Credit Card Fraud and ID Theft Scheme
For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of Virginia
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Portsmouth man was sentenced today to nine years in prison for his role as a ringleader in a credit card fraud and identity theft scheme.
According to court documents, Travon Williams, 33, organized and led a conspiracy where over two and a half years, members purchased thousands of stolen credit and debit card numbers from blackmarket websites, encoded those stolen numbers onto fraudulent credit cards, and then used those cards to buy merchandise including gift cards and cartons of cigarettes.
During the conspiracy, the group made hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash from selling cigarette cartons to buyers from New York City, who drove down to Northern Virginia to transport the cigarettes. Williams himself obtained $415,000 in proceeds.
Williams is one of 12 defendants who was arrested in this case in August 2017, all of whom have pleaded guilty for their roles in this scheme. Co-defendant Rodriguez Norman has also pleaded guilty to participating in an organized dog-fighting conspiracy. Williams is the sixth defendant to be sentenced, as shown below:
|
Name, Age |
Hometown |
Convictions |
Sentence |
|
Travon Williams, 33 |
Portsmouth |
Conspiracy to Commit Bank and Wire Fraud, Conspiracy to Traffic in Contraband Cigarettes, Aggravated Identity Theft |
108 months |
|
Jamar Johnson, 31 |
Portsmouth |
Conspiracy to Commit Bank and Wire Fraud, Aggravated Identity Theft |
84 months |
|
Ashley Carrillo Howell, 34 |
Bowie, Maryland |
Conspiracy to Commit Bank and Wire Fraud, Aggravated Identity Theft |
70 months |
|
Ronnie Beale, 33 |
Fort Washington, Maryland |
Conspiracy to Commit Bank and Wire Fraud |
14 months |
|
Ryan McNeil, 32 |
District Heights, Maryland |
Conspiracy to Commit Bank and Wire Fraud |
14 months |
|
Denae Horton, 25 |
Chesapeake |
Conspiracy to Commit Bank and Wire Fraud |
2 months |
|
Eugene Cuffee, 34 |
Norfolk |
Conspiracy to Commit Bank and Wire Fraud |
February 2 |
|
Nathaneal Williams, 25 |
Manassas |
Conspiracy to Commit Bank and Wire Fraud, Conspiracy to Traffic in Contraband Cigarettes, Aggravated Identity Theft |
February 16 |
|
Gentle Tyson, III, 33 |
Virginia Beach |
Conspiracy to Commit Bank and Wire Fraud, Aggravated Identity Theft |
February 23 |
|
Rodriguez Norman, 31 |
Temple Hills, Maryland |
Conspiracy to Commit Bank and Wire Fraud, Conspiracy to Traffic in Contraband Cigarettes, Aggravated Identity Theft; & Conspiracy to Engage in an Animal Fighting Venture |
March 16 |
|
Marvin Mitchell, 33 |
Virginia Beach |
Conspiracy to Commit Bank and Wire Fraud, Aggravated Identity Theft |
March 23 |
|
Ebony Coe, 29 |
Virginia Beach |
Conspiracy to Commit Bank and Wire Fraud, Aggravated Identity Theft |
March 23 |
Dana J. Boente, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Andrew W. Vale, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Maya D. Song, Whitney Russell, and Katherine Rumbaugh prosecuted the case.
The Manassas Park Police, Fairfax County Police, and Arlington County Police provided significant assistance during this investigation.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 1:17-cr-214, 226, 227, 240, 252, 251, 254, 312.
Contact
Joshua Stueve
Director of Communications
joshua.stueve@usdoj.gov
Updated January 26, 2018
Topics
Financial Fraud
Identity Theft
Component