Cheektowaga Woman Pleads Guilty To Access Device Fraud And Aggravated Identity Theft

CONTACT:      Barbara Burns
PHONE:         (716) 843-5817
FAX:            (716) 551-3051
 
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul Jr. announced today that Danielle Hamilton, 27, of Cheektowaga, NY, pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit access device fraud and aggravated identity theft before U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo.  The access device fraud charge carries a maximum penalty of five years and a $250,000 fine.  Aggravated identity theft carries a mandatory penalty of two years which must be served consecutive to any penalty imposed on the access device fraud charge.  

Assistant U.S. Attorneys MaryEllen Kresse and Elizabeth R. Moellering, who are handling the case, stated that from October 2013 to January 2014, the defendant and others traveled to Walmart stores and other retail establishments in Western New York and Pennsylvania where they used unauthorized credit cards. The credit cards were obtained without the true account holder’s knowledge or authority. Hamilton and others purchased $500 store gift cards and other merchandise totaling in excess of $300,000. 

The plea is the culmination of an investigation on the part of the United States Postal Inspection Service under the direction of Boston Division Inspector in Charge Shelly A. Binkowski, and the United States Secret Service under the direction of Special Agent in Charge C. Todd Laster.

Sentencing is scheduled for June 13, 2016 at 9:00 a.m. before Judge Vilardo.