Four New York men sentenced for identity theft scheme in Idaho

The following is a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Idaho.

BOISE — Four New York men were sentenced to federal prison for an identity theft scheme designed to obtain iPhones on Sprint customer accounts.

According to statements made in court, Winston Torres, 44, Edgar Rodriguez, 36, Andres Rodriguez, 59, and Kenneth DeJesus, 25, all of New York, conspired to commit wire fraud and identity theft by obtaining personal identification of real Sprint customers, and using such personal identification to obtain merchandise at Sprint stores, primarily iPhones, on the accounts of real Sprint customers. To execute their fraud scheme, the four defendants obtained multiple false identification cards displaying the photographs of the four defendants, but with the personal identifying information of real Sprint customers.

In March 2019, the four defendants traveled together from New York to Oregon and Idaho to execute their fraud scheme using the false identification. The defendants executed, or attempted to execute, their fraud scheme at Sprint stores in Lewiston, Idaho, Moscow, Idaho, Ontario, Oregon, Boise, Idaho, and Garden City, Idaho, resulting in thousands of dollars in loss. A subsequent search of their vehicle after arrest in Garden City revealed an additional 12 false identification cards displaying the photographs of the four defendants, but with the identification of real Sprint customers.

U.S. District Judge Scott W. Skavdahl, from the District of Wyoming, sitting by designation, sentenced Winston Torres and Edgar Rodriguez to 18 months prison and 12 months prison, respectively, and ordered both men to serve three years of supervised release following their prison sentences. Torres and Rodriguez both pleaded guilty to the charges on October 20, 2021.

Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye sentenced Andres Rodriguez to six months prison and ordered him to serve two years of supervised release following his prison sentence. Andres Rodriguez pleaded guilty to the charges on December 10, 2019.

Senior U.S. District Judge Bill R. Wilson, from the Eastern District of Arkansas, sitting by designation, sentenced Kenneth DeJesus to 12 months prison, and ordered him to serve three years of supervised release following his prison sentence. Kenneth DeJesus pleaded guilty to the charges on March 14, 2022.

U.S. Attorney Rafael M. Gonzalez, Jr., of the District of Idaho made the announcement and commended the cooperative efforts of the U.S. Secret Service, Homeland Security Investigations, Boise Police Department, Garden City Police Department, Lewiston Police Department, and Ontario, Oregon Police Department, which led to the charges.