New York Man Sentenced to 10 Months for Credit Card Fraud

Contact: Halsey B. Frank
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257

Portland, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Gyadeen P. Ramdihall, 28, of Bronx, New York, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge D. Brock Hornby to 10 months in prison and three years of supervised release for conspiracy to commit access device fraud.  He was also ordered to pay $17,987.56 in restitution.  Ramdihall pleaded guilty on January 29, 2015.

According to court documents, on about September 4, 2013, Ramdihall, Jervis Hillaire and a third person travelled from New York to Maine with 38 credit, debit and gift cards that were counterfeit or fraudulently altered.  In Maine, the three used cards to purchase gift cards and electronic devices from vendors including, among others, Best Buy, Apple, Target and Walmart.  On October 10, 2013, an Ohio State Trooper stopped Ramdihall for speeding.  Hillaire was his passenger.  A total of 17 fraudulent access device cards in Hillaire’s name were found in the trunk of the vehicle under the spare tire. On January 24, 2014, the Biddeford Police stopped Ramdihall near the Walmart store in Biddeford.  Hillaire was again his passenger. Ramdihall was arrested for driving with a suspended license; Hillaire was arrested for providing a false identity.  Police discovered eight fraudulent access device cards in Hillaire’s boot.

In pronouncing sentence, Judge Hornby observed that the use of false credit cards was a serious problem, that he was concerned that Ramdihall did not understand the seriousness of his situation and that a sentence that would provide deterrence was required.

The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Secret Service, the Kittery and Biddeford Police Departments and the Ohio State Police.