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Press Release

Five Defendants Plead Guilty In Statesboro, Georgia To Tax Fraud And Identity Theft Scheme

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of Georgia

22 Defendants Convicted So Far This Year in Stolen Identity Tax Fraud Schemes

STATESBORO, GA:  Five federal defendants – ALECEIA LOVETT, CIERRA JOHNSON, KANDICE WHITE, DANIELLE CLARK, and SIRBRINA BANGS – pled guilty last week before United States District Court Judge B. Avant Edenfield in Statesboro, Georgia for their involvement in a stolen identity tax fraud scheme.

Earlier this year, these five defendants, along with 17 others who were also involved in similar schemes, were charged with federal crimes ranging from conspiracy to defraud the IRS to identity theft from medical records.  According to evidence presented during hearings in these cases, the participants in these schemes illicitly obtained personal identifiers, such as names, dates of birth, and Social Security numbers, which they then used to prepare and submit fraudulent tax returns in order to unlawfully obtain tax refunds.

United States Attorney Edward J. Tarver said, “These cases demonstrate the continuing commitment of the United States Attorney’s Office to protecting the privacy of medical records and the hard-earned money of honest taxpayers.  This investigation is ongoing.  Our law enforcement partners will continue to track down these identity thieves and bring them to justice.”

The five defendants who pled guilty last week are among the 24 defendants federally charged this year as participants in stolen identity tax fraud schemes in the Statesboro, Georgia area.  The status of each of these 24 defendants’ cases is listed (in alphabetical order) as follows:

ERICA BALDWIN, 31, of Statesboro, Georgia, was charged in April 2013 and pled guilty on June 25, 2013 to wire fraud conspiracy, aggravated identity theft, and misusing medical records.  Her sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled.

SIRBRINA BANGS, 26, of Statesboro, Georgia, was charged in September 2013 and pled guilty on December 5, 2013 to conspiracy to commit theft of public funds.  Her sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled.

DANIELLE CLARK, 26, of Statesboro, Georgia, was charged in September 2013 and pled guilty on December 5, 2013 to wire fraud conspiracy and aggravated identity theft.  Her sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled.

TAMEIKA CLARK, 24, of Statesboro, Georgia, was re-indicted on December 3, 2013 with 26 counts of wire fraud conspiracy, wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and access device fraud. Her trial date has not yet been scheduled.

TRACY DENSON, 44, of Statesboro, Georgia, was charged in April 2013 and pled guilty on July 30, 2013 to wire fraud conspiracy, aggravated identity theft, and misusing medical records.  Her sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled.

SHAKITA EASON, 30, of Statesboro, Georgia, was charged in April 2013 and pled guilty on June 18, 2013 to wire fraud conspiracy, aggravated identity theft, and misusing medical records.  Her sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled.

YOLANDA EDMOND, 36, of Statesboro, Georgia, was charged in April 2013, pled guilty on July 11, 2013 to wire fraud conspiracy, aggravated identity theft, and misusing medical records, and was sentenced on October 8, 2013 to 32 months in prison.

GLORIA EVANS, 44, of Statesboro, Georgia, was charged in April 2013, pled guilty on July 11, 2013 to wire fraud conspiracy and aggravated identity theft, and was sentenced on October 8, 2013 to 39 months in prison.

DEQUILLIA HILL, 43, of Sylvania, Georgia, was charged in September 2013 and pled guilty on November 19, 2013 to conspiracy to commit theft of public funds and aggravated identity theft.  Her sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled.

CIERRA JOHNSON, 22, of Statesboro, Georgia, was charged in September 2013 and pled guilty on December 4, 2013 to wire fraud conspiracy and aggravated identity theft.  Her sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled.

ALECEIA LOVETT, 29, of Statesboro, Georgia, was charged in September 2013 and pled guilty on December 4, 2013 to wire fraud conspiracy and aggravated identity theft.  Her sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled.

TACARRO MORGAN, 25, of Sylvania, Georgia, was charged in September 2013 and pled guilty on November 19, 2013 to wire fraud conspiracy and aggravated identity theft.  Her sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled.

JOSHUA MINCEY, 20, of Statesboro, Georgia, was charged in April 2013 and pled guilty on June 25, 2013 to wire fraud conspiracy, aggravated identity theft, and misusing medical records.  His sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled.

RICHARD PARKER, 60, of Sylvania, Georgia, was charged in September 2013 and pled guilty on November 19, 2013 to conspiracy to commit theft of public funds.  His sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled.

PORSCHE S. PINKNEY, 19, of Augusta, Georgia, was charged in April 2013 and pled guilty on August 21, 2013 to wire fraud conspiracy, aggravated identity theft, and misusing medical records.  Her sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled.

EULA MAE RODRIGUEZ, 47, of Sylvania, Georgia, was charged in September 2013 and pled guilty on November 19, 2013 to wire fraud conspiracy and aggravated identity theft.  Her sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled.

DWAN SCOTT, 32, of Statesboro, Georgia, was charged in April 2013 and pled guilty on July 30, 2013 to wire fraud conspiracy and aggravated identity theft.  Her sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled.

JENNA SCOTT, 28, of Jacksonville, Florida, was charged in April 2013 and pled guilty on July 30, 2013 to wire fraud conspiracy and aggravated identity theft.  Her sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled.

DEVANG SHAH, 32, of Sylvania, Georgia, was charged in September 2013 with conspiracy to commit theft of public funds.  His guilty plea hearing has not yet been scheduled.

GREGORY F. SMITH, JR., 21, of Stone Mountain, Georgia, was charged in April 2013 and pled guilty on August 21, 2013 to wire fraud conspiracy and aggravated identity theft.  His sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled.

ASHA K. SPAULDING, 37, of Claxton, Georgia, was charged in March 2013 and pled guilty on March 12, 2013 to wire fraud conspiracy, aggravated identity theft, and assisting in the preparation of false tax returns and was sentenced on October 8, 2013 to 154 months in prison.

TIDAESHA V. TAYLOR, 27, of College Park, Georgia, was charged in April 2013 and pled guilty on August 21, 2013 to wire fraud conspiracy and aggravated identity theft.  Her sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled.

ANDREA WEBB, 31, of Register, Georgia, was charged in April 2013 and pled guilty on June 5, 2013 to wire fraud conspiracy and aggravated identity theft.  Her sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled.

KANDICE WHITE, 25, of Sylvania, Georgia, was charged in September 2013 and pled guilty on December 4, 2013 to conspiracy to commit theft of public funds and aggravated identity theft.  Her sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled.

The defendants not yet sentenced face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for the charges of wire fraud conspiracy and wire fraud, 10 years in prison for the charges of access device fraud and misuse of medical records, five years in prison for the charge of conspiracy to commit theft of public funds, and a 2-year mandatory, consecutive prison sentence for aggravated identity theft.  Each of these charges also carries a fine of up to $250,000.

FBI Special Agent Marcus Kirkland and IRS-CID Special Agent Gwen Weston are the federal law enforcement officers who have been leading the investigation in these cases, in connection with the Statesboro Police Department and other state and local agencies.  Assistant United States Attorneys David Stewart and Lamont A. Belk are prosecuting the cases.  For additional information, please contact First Assistant United States Attorney James D. Durham at (912) 201-2547.

 

Updated April 10, 2015