“John Doe” Convicted of Passport Fraud, Social Security Fraud, Aggravated Identity Theft, And Two Counts of Voter Fraud

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                    Contact ELIZABETH MORSE

www.justice.gov/usao/md                                                     at (410) 209-4855

Baltimore, Maryland – A federal jury has convicted “John Doe,” whose true identity remains unknown, on charges of passport fraud, social security fraud, aggravated identity theft, and two counts of voter fraud.

The verdict was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Stephen M. Schenning; Special Agent in Charge Richard J. Ingram for the Washington Field Office of the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service; and Special Agent in Charge Michael McGill of the Social Security Administration—Office of the Inspector General, Philadelphia Field Division.

According to evidence at presented at the three-day trial, beginning at an unknown time, the defendant has lived under the assumed identity of a United States Citizen born in the United States Virgin Islands.

Beginning in the summer of 1997, the defendant used the victim’s personally identifiable information to obtain a series of driver’s licenses and identification cards, including a Maryland state identification card and multiple Maryland driver’s licenses. Building upon these documents, the defendant also obtained a United States passport, a Social Security card, and registered to vote. Most recently, in the 2016 Presidential Election, the defendant voted using the name of the stolen identity.

The defendant faces up to 10 years imprisonment for passport fraud, 5 years for Social Security fraud, 5 years for each count of voter fraud, and a mandatory 2-year consecutive sentence for aggravated identity theft. Sentencing is set for February 23, 2017, at 10:00 a.m. at the U.S. District Court in Baltimore. The defendant remains detained in the custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing.

Acting United States Attorney Stephen M. Schenning commended the Department of State—Diplomatic Security Service; and the Social Security Administration—Office of the Inspector General for their work in the investigation. Mr. Schenning acknowledged the assistance of the Acting United States Attorney Joycelyn Hewlett in the District of the Virgin Islands, and the Howard County Police Department and thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zachary A. Myers and Phil Selden who prosecuted this case.

If anyone has any information on the identity of “John Doe,” who has used the name Cheyenne Moody Davis, they are asked to email the State Department at DS_WFO_TIPS@state.gov.

According to the Diplomatic Security Service, John Doe is approximately 41-44 years old, 5’8, with light brown eyes and has previously gone by the pseudonyms “Chris” or “Richie.” John Doe may be from from Antigua, Barbuda, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, or Jamaica. According to evidence introduced at trial, he has a Jamaican accent. According to the State Department, John Doe would have been between 20-25 years old when he left disappeared from his community around June of 1997. More information can be found at https://www.state.gov/m/ds/rls/274463.htm.