Charleston Woman Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft

BLUEFIELD, W.Va. – Tabatha Deavers, 30, of Charleston, pleaded guilty today to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. Deavers admitted that she obtained $176,118.73 through a fraudulent scheme that began with her roommate’s employment with an office cleaning business.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Deavers and her roommate, Brittany King, unlawfully obtained the personal identification information of numerous individuals by using King’s access to local business offices as a cleaning service worker. Deavers and King rerouted the mail of their identity theft victims and opened lines of credit and bank accounts and obtained loans and credit cards in their names.

From approximately December 2020 through at least December 1, 2022, Deavers and King stole money and property from individuals, companies, lenders, financial institutions and car dealerships with their scheme. Deavers admitted that she and King submitted a fraudulent change of address form to the United States Postal Service to reroute one victim’s mail to their Bridge Road apartment in Charleston on June 7, 2022. Deavers further admitted that she attempted to purchase a vehicle from a Charleston area car dealership using the personal identification information of another victim on January 15, 2022.

Deavers is scheduled to be sentenced on March 5, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 22 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $500,000 fine. Deavers also owes $176,118.73 in restitution.

King, 35, of East Bank, pleaded guilty to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft on October 3, 2023, and awaits sentencing. Co-defendant Amy Deavers, 50, of Glasgow, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud on October 17, 2023, and awaits sentencing.

United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the United States Postal Inspection Service, the United States Secret Service, the United States Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General,  and the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office.

Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Andrew D. Isabell and Jonathan T. Storage are prosecuting the case, and Assistant United States Attorney Kathleen Robeson provided substantial assistance.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-14. 

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