Man and Woman Charged in Identity Theft Case

   ROCHESTER, N.Y.—U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that Michael Debardlabon, 31, and Maria English, 25, both of Rochester, N.Y., were charged by criminal complaint with aggravated identity theft, bank fraud and access device fraud. The charges carry a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. 

Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany H. Lee, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, between November 2012 and September 2013, Debardlabon and English, using the name, social security numbers and dates of birth of two different Florida residents, obtained financing to purchase used automobiles. The defendants purchased an Infinity, a Lexus and a BMW, through financial institutions such as ESL and Ally Financial. The Florida residents never authorized the financial transactions to occur. In addition, on one occasion, the complaint alleges that the personal information of a third Florida resident was used to open an American Express card which was used to purchase air fare for Debardlabon and English.

Debardlabon made an initial appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jonathan W. Feldman and is being held pending a detention hearing on July 29, 2014.                    
The criminal complaint is the culmination of an investigation on the part of the United States Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Shelly Binkowski and the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Chief Michael Ciminelli.

The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.