Turtle Creek Woman Sentenced to Almost 10 Years in Prison for Violating Multiple Fraud, Identity Theft and Gun Laws

PITTSBURGH - A former resident of Turtle Creek, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to nine years and eight months in prison and three years of supervised release on her conviction of federal firearms laws, conspiracy to commit identity theft offenses, unauthorized use of counterfeit driver’s licenses and credit cards, wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and accessing protected computers without permission, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.

United States District Judge Arthur J. Schwab imposed the sentence on Quinyahta Rochelle, 32.

According to information presented to the court, Rochelle participated in a number of different crimes. Between March 2016 and July 2016, Rochelle assisted another individual gain access to social media accounts of various celebrities by hacking into their accounts. During a search warrant related to that investigation, law enforcement executed a search warrant at her home, where the officers located several stolen firearms and many rounds of ammunition. Rochelle was a felon at the times of the search and therefore could not legally possess firearms or ammunition under federal law.

Contemporaneously with the execution of the arrest warrant on the firearm charge, law enforcement executed a second search warrant at her home based on information that Rochelle was engaged in a complex multi-state identity theft scheme. Ultimately, the investigation revealed that Rochelle obtained the names, dates of birth, social security numbers, credits cards, and other information through a variety of means, including through purchasing the material on the internet. Rochelle and her conspirators would then use that information to manufacture counterfeit credit cards and driver’s licenses, which they then used to make purchases and apply for credit both on-line and in person.

While on bond for all of these crimes, Rochelle continued to engage in identity theft related offenses. That conduct resulted in a third search warrant of her home, which led to additional evidence of her fraudulent conduct. She faces another yet unresolved indictment in connection with that activity.

Assistant United States Attorney Brendan T. Conway prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

United States Attorney Brady commended the United States Secret Service and the United States Postal Inspection Service, in conjunction with the multiple police departments in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and California, including police departments from Columbus, Ohio, Canfield, Ohio, Bucks County, Ohio, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Ross Township, Pennsylvania, Wilkins Township, Pennsylvania, and Los Angeles, California, for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Rochelle.