South Carolina Men Sentenced To Lengthy Prison Terms In Credit Card Fraud Case

AUGUSTA, GA:  JAEQUAN S. MALONE, 24, of Columbia, South Carolina, was sentenced earlier this week by United States District Court Judge J. Randal Hall to 48 months imprisonment for his involvement in a conspiracy to fraudulently possess and use credit, debit, and gift cards and electronically-stored account numbers, as well as equipment for making counterfeit cards.  MALONE’s co-defendant, SHIKYM R. WILLIAMS, 25, also of Columbia, South Carolina, was sentenced on February 20, 2013 by the same judge to 72 months imprisonment.

Evidence presented at hearings in this case showed that, in the early morning of May 31, 2011, Taliaferro County Deputy Sheriff Lewis Blanchard pulled over a rental vehicle on Interstate 20 that MALONE, with WILLIAMS as his passenger, was driving 100 miles per hour from Columbia, South Carolina towards Atlanta, Georgia.  A search of the vehicle revealed several credit, debit, and gift cards and a laptop computer and credit card encoder for making counterfeit cards.  Also found in the vehicle was a loaded 9mm pistol.  Further analysis of this evidence revealed over 350 electronically-stored credit and debit card numbers that belonged to other people.

United States Attorney Edward J. Tarver said, “Those who seek to live life in the fast lane using the stolen credit card numbers of innocent victims should take notice of the prison sentences for these defendants.  This office works hand in hand with federal and local law enforcement to see that identity thieves serve hard time.”

In addition to the prison sentences, MALONE was ordered to pay restitution and WILLIAMS was ordered to pay a fine.  Both men will serve three years of supervised release after they are released from prison. Regarding the length of the prison sentences, Tarver noted that there is no parole in the federal system.

Secret Service Special Agent Tom Norris and ATF Special Agent Ron Rhodes conducted the investigation of this case with assistance from the Taliaferro County Sheriff’s Office.  Assistant United States Attorney David Stewart prosecuted the case.  For additional information, please contact First Assistant United States Attorney James D. Durham at (912) 201-2547.