Parkton Landscaper Sentenced to Over 3 Years in Prison for Stealing From a Client

Baltimore, Maryland – Chief U.S. District Judge Catherine C. Blake sentenced Jeffrey Poole, age 40, of Parkton, Maryland, today to 42 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for bank fraud and aggravated identity theft arising from a seven year scheme to access a client’s bank account.  Chief Judge Blake also entered an order requiring Poole to pay restitution of $160,000.

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein and Special Agent in Charge Brian Murphy of the United States Secret Service - Baltimore Field Office.

According to his plea, Poole met the victim when he provided landscaping services.  He helped set up the victim’s new computer for on-line banking and gained access to the victim’s personal identity and financial information.  Shortly thereafter, Poole used the victim’s identity to establish a PayPal account for the victim, without the victim’s knowledge.  Poole used the victim’s personal and financial information to link the victim’s PayPal account to the victim’s checking account, so that payments made with or money transferred from the victim’s PayPal account would be automatically drawn from the victim’s bank account.

From April 2007 through January 2014, Poole repeatedly logged onto the victim’s PayPal account and made purchases for himself.  He also initiated money transfers from the victim’s PayPal account into his own PayPal account.  He then transferred the victim’s funds to his own bank accounts.

As a result of the scheme, Poole fraudulently obtained or attempted to obtain over $244,000.

The Maryland Identity Theft Working Group has been working since 2006 to foster cooperation among local, state, federal, and institutional fraud investigators and to promote effective prosecution of identity theft schemes by both state and federal prosecutors. This case, as well as other cases brought by members of the Working Group, demonstrates the commitment of law enforcement agencies to work with financial institutions and businesses to address identity fraud, identify those who compromise personal identity information, and protect citizens from identity theft.

Today’s announcement is part of the efforts undertaken in connection with the President’s Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force.  The task force was established to wage an aggressive, coordinated and proactive effort to investigate and prosecute financial crimes.  With more than 20 federal agencies, 94 U.S. attorneys’ offices, and state and local partners, it’s the broadest coalition of law enforcement, investigatory and regulatory agencies ever assembled to combat fraud.  Since its formation, the task force has made great strides in facilitating increased investigation and prosecution of financial crimes; enhancing coordination and cooperation among federal, state and local authorities; addressing discrimination in the lending and financial markets; and conducting outreach to the public, victims, financial institutions and other organizations.  Since fiscal year 2009, the Justice Department has filed over 18,000 financial fraud cases against more than 25,000 defendants.  For more information on the task force, please visit www.StopFraud.gov.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the U.S. Secret Service for its work in the investigation and thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Tamera L. Fine, who prosecuted the case.