Fort Worth man who attempted to apply for two passports with stolen identities sentenced to over eight years in federal prison

A Fort Worth man who attempted to apply for two passports with stolen identities was sentenced Wednesday to over eight years in federal prison, announced Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Nancy E. Larson.

Phillip Sean Anthony, 42, was indicted in February 2024 and pled guilty in November to the federal offenses of making a false statement in an application for a passport and aggravated identity theft.  He was sentenced Wednesday to 100 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Ada Brown.

According to court documents, Anthony first applied for a United States Passport on August 16, 2023, using a birth certificate and a debit card in an identity that he had stolen.  When he failed to receive that passport, Anthony applied for a second passport on January 2, 2024.  This time he used a driver’s license, a birth certificate, and a debit card in a second identity that he had stolen.  When investigators later searched Anthony’s residence, they discovered birth certificates, driver’s licenses, and credit and debit cards in several names, including the names that Anthony used in support of his false passport applications.  

At Wednesday’s sentencing, the prosecutor introduced evidence showing that Anthony had previously been sentenced to 84 months in federal prison for mail fraud and aggravated identity theft.  During that previous prosecution, Anthony fled to California for three years using a passport in another identity.  Additionally, the prosecutor explained that, at the time Anthony falsely applied for passports in 2023 and 2024, he was under indictment in Dallas County, Texas, for sexual assault of a child.  In handing down the sentence, U.S. District Judge Ada Brown described Anthony as a “prolific criminal mastermind” who has led a “life of con.”

The U.S. Department of State, Diplomatic Security Service conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan P. Niedermair prosecuted the case.