Rio Rancho Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison for Aggravated Identity Theft Conviction

ALBUQUERQUE – Amber Hilton, 33, of Rio Rancho, N.M., was sentenced this morning in federal court in Albuquerque, N.M., to 24 months in federal prison followed by one year of supervised release for her aggravated identity theft conviction.  Hilton was also ordered to pay $5,260.86 in restitution to the U.S. Postal Service.

Hilton was indicted on Nov. 5, 2014, and charged with possession of a counterfeit U.S. Postal Service key to a lock box for the purpose of mail theft on Oct. 14, 2014, in Sandoval County, N.M., attempted use of a Home Depot credit card on Sept. 26, 2014, in Bernalillo County, N.M., and identity theft on Sept. 26, 2014, in Bernalillo County.

The indictment was superseded on Feb. 25, 2015, and charged Hilton with attempt to defraud Wells Fargo Bank by attempting to cash two checks which had been altered to reflect a stolen identity on Sept. 7, 2014, in Bernalillo County, identity theft on Sept. 7, 2014, in Bernalillo County, attempted use of a Best Buy credit card on Sept. 24, 2014, in Doña Ana County, N.M., attempted use of a Home Depot credit card on Sept. 25, 2014, in Sandoval County, N.M., attempted use of a Home Depot credit card on Sept. 26, 2014, in Bernalillo County, aggravated identity theft on Sept. 26, 2014, in Bernalillo County and possession of a counterfeit U.S. Postal Service key to a lock box for the purpose of mail theft on Oct. 14, 2014, in Sandoval County.

On Aug. 7, 2015, Hilton pled guilty to aggravated identity theft and admitted that on Oct. 10, 2014, in Bernalillo County, she attempted to use a Home Depot credit card and attempted to obtain more than $1,000.00 with the credit card.  Hilton further admitted that she possessed identification of another person in relation to the attempted credit card fraud.

This case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Norman Cairns prosecuted the case.