Aggravated Identify Theft Lands City Man In Prison For 78 Months

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma – DANIEL WAYNE AUSMUS, 44, from Oklahoma City, was sentenced by United States District Judge Timothy D. DeGiusti to serve 78 months in prison for aggravated identity theft, mail fraud, and submitting false claims to the United States, announced Sanford C. Coats, United States Attorney for the Western District of Oklahoma. Judge DeGiusti also ordered Ausmus to serve three years of supervised release upon release from prison and to pay $45,972.62 in restitution to the victims.

According to court filings and information from the plea and sentencing hearings, starting in November of 2009 Ausmus used various sources, including the internet, to obtain personal information of over 100 individuals including names, dates of birth, and social security numbers. Ausmus then used these to fraudulently apply online for prepaid debit cards. He had the cards mailed to vacant houses near his residence where he would retrieve them after delivery by the Postal Service. In addition, Ausmus used the personal information to file false claims for tax refunds for both state and federal tax refunds.

Ausmus was charged by information on October 30, 2012, and later pled guilty to all three count of the information.

In addition to the 78-month prison term, Judge DeGiusti also ordered Ausmus to serve three years of supervised release upon release from prison and to pay $45,972.62 in restitution to the victims, which include the IRS and States of Oklahoma, Kansas, Hawaii, Alabama, North Carolina and Missouri.

This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service and IRS Criminal Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy Ogilvie.