New York Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Fraud Charges

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A New York man pleaded guilty today to his role in a wire fraud scheme that involved the use of stolen identities to purchase two new trucks together worth more $100,000 from a pair of Charleston dealerships.

According to statements made in court, Julio Hisael Almonte, 31, of the Bronx, traveled to West Virginia in June 2018 and worked with a co-conspirator to fraudulently purchase the Ford F-150 Raptor and Toyota Tacoma using fraudulent identification cards and the stolen identities of other people. Almonte was arrested by the West Virginia State Police on June 30, 2018, in Braxton County, as he attempted to drive the Ford F-150 back to the New York area.

Almonte pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. He is scheduled to be sentenced on July 20, 2022, and faces a maximum penalty of 60 years in prison.

U.S. Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and West Virginia State Police conducted the investigation. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service also provided assistance with the investigation.

Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber presided over the hearing.  Assistant United States Attorney Nowles Heinrich is prosecuting the case.

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. 2:21-cr-00160.

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