Dayton woman admits to stealing identities of local victims

DAYTON, Ohio – A Dayton woman pleaded guilty in federal court here today to stealing the identities of several young women in the Dayton area and using those identities to commit various types of fraud.

Tiffany Lewis, 29, was charged federally in September 2022. She pleaded guilty today to three counts of aggravated identity theft.

According to court documents, in March and April 2021, Lewis stole the identities of two area women and used their information to obtain approximately $8,000 total in personal loans from Lendmark. Lewis cashed out those loans at Checksmart locations in Fairborn and Monroe, Ohio. Lewis was photographed at each Checksmart location and is covering her distinctive neck tattoos in each of the photographs.

In June and July 2021, Lewis used a third stolen identity to commit various acts of fraud.

For example, Lewis used the victim’s identity to obtain a fraudulent Ohio driver’s license and a car loan for approximately $48,000.

In addition, Lewis used the identity on two separate occasions to rent Chevrolet Silverado trucks from Uhaul in Dayton. One of the trucks was later discovered at Lewis’s residence and had been spray-painted black.

Lewis also used the third victim’s identity to write fraudulent checks at Menards in Fairborn totaling more than $3,500. When questioned at the store by a Fairborn police officer, Lewis presented her fake driver’s license, which was flagged as fraudulent in the officer’s computer.

As part of her plea, the parties involved have recommended a sentence of two years in prison. Lewis has agreed to pay restitution as follows:

• $7,999 to Lendmark,
• $67,800 to UHaul,
• $47,596 to Carmax, and
• $3,590.50 to Menards.

Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio and Andrew Boockmeier, Special Agent in Charge, Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General (SSA-OIG) announced the plea. The U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Marshals Service, and Dayton, Fairborn, Whitehall and Riverside police departments all contributed to this investigation.

Special Assistant United States Attorney Timothy Landry is representing the United States in this case.

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