New Orleans woman pleads guilty to possessing 282 counterfeit credit/debit cards

LAFAYETTE, La. – Acting U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that a New Orleans woman pleaded guilty Wednesday to possessing 282 counterfeited credit/debit cards.

Brittany Sanders, 34, of New Orleans, La., pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Patrick Hanna to one count of possession of 15 or more counterfeit or unauthorized access devices. The plea will become final when accepted by U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr. According to the guilty plea, a Louisiana State Police trooper pulled over a rental car January 9, 2015 on Interstate 10 in St. Martin Parish that Sanders and codefendant Bruce Daliet, 33, also of New Orleans, were traveling in. The trooper searched the vehicle and found a pink suitcase that belonged to Sanders. Inside were 282 counterfeit credit/debit cards and $4,000 worth of gift cards. Law enforcement agents discovered that 156 of the credit/debit cards were embossed with Sanders’ name, and 126 were embossed with Daliet’s name. The loss to the credit card companies is $13,907.22.

Sanders faces up to 10 years in prison. Daliet pleaded guilty on August 28, 2017 to access device possession. He faces up to 20 years in prison. They both also face three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. The court did not set sentencing dates.

The U.S. Secret Service and Louisiana State Police conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert F. Moore is prosecuting the case.