Albuquerque Man Pleads Guilty to Aggravated Identity Theft Charge

ALBUQUERQUE – Kenneth Webb, 50, of Albuquerque, N.M., pled guilty today in federal court in Albuquerque, N.M., to an aggravated identity theft charge under a plea agreement with the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Webb and his codefendants Amelia Cordova, 34, and Bridget Jessica Sanchez, 35, both of Albuquerque were charged in a five-count indictment filed on Oct. 25, 2016, with conspiracy to commit bank fraud, aggravated identity theft, and receipt of stolen mail. The indictment was superseded on April 26, 2017, and charged the three defendants with participating in a conspiracy to commit bank fraud from Jan. 2015 through Feb. 2016. The superseding indictment also charged each of the three defendants with committing aggravated identity theft on the following dates: Cordova on Feb. 13, 2016; Sanchez on Jan. 19, 2015; and Webb on June 2, 2015. It also charged Cordova and Sanchez with theft or receipt of stolen mail on July 20, 2015. According to the superseding indictment, the defendants committed the crimes in Bernalillo County, N.M.

During today’s proceedings, Webb pled guilty to an aggravated identity theft charge and admitted that he conspired with his codefendants to defraud financial institutions, including First Financial Credit Union, Kirtland Federal Credit Union, Sandia Laboratory Federal Credit Union, Bank of America and Bank of the West. He also admitted that in furtherance of that conspiracy, they possessed mail and other information, including bank account, debit card and credit card numbers belonging to others, that had been stolen from a post office, mail receptacle, or mail carrier. In entering the guilty plea, Webb further admitted that between June 2, 2015 and June 19, 2015, he possessed and used bank account information of other individuals. Webb also admitted that on July 20, 2015, he possessed counterfeit checks, counterfeit New Mexico state identification cards and other identification that belonged to other individuals.

On June 15, 2017, Cordova and Sanchez each pled guilty to similar charges. In their plea agreements, Cordova and Sanchez admitted to participating in the conspiracy along with Webb to defraud financial institutions, and using numbers for bank accounts, credit cards and debit cards found in stolen mail to make purchases, and forging signatures of others in making those purchases. Cordova and Sanchez also admitted using bank account numbers and bank routing numbers contained in stolen mail to make counterfeit personal checks, which they used to make purchases.

In entering her guilty plea, Cordova admitted that between Feb. 13 and 21, 2016, she used credit card number information from two different people to commit bank fraud.

In entering her guilty plea, Sanchez admitted that on Jan. 19, 2015 and between June 15 and 24, 2015, she used bank account information belonging to another person to commit bank fraud. Sanchez also admitted using credit card number information of another person on Feb. 10, 20, and 21, 2016.

At sentencing, Webb, Cordova and Sanchez each face a mandatory penalty of two years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 each. Cordova and Sanchez are currently scheduled for sentencing hearings on Sept. 13, 2017. A sentencing hearing for Webb has yet to be scheduled.

This case was investigated the U.S. Postal Service and the Albuquerque Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney George C. Kraehe.