BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Danielle Hamilton, 29, of Cheektowaga, NY, who was convicted of conspiracy to commit access device fraud and aggravated identity theft, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo to 36 months in prison. Hamilton was also ordered to pay approximately $300,000 in restitution.
Assistant U.S. Attorney MaryEllen Kresse, who handled the case, stated that between October 2013 and January 2014, the defendant and others, including Ricky Butler and Teria Baker, traveled to Walmart stores and other retail establishments in Western New York and Pennsylvania, where they used unauthorized credit cards. The defendants, who knew that the credit cards had been obtained by means of fraud and without the true account holders knowledge or authority, purchased and attempted to purchase, $500 store gift cards and other merchandise totaling in excess of $300,000.
Ricky Butler was previously convicted and is awaiting sentencing. Teria Baker was convicted and sentenced to 34 months in prison.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the United States Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Acting Inspector-in-Charge Delany E. De Leon-Colon of the Boston Division, and the United States Secret Service, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Lewis Robinson.
--DOJ Western District of New York
Source: U.S. Secret Service