NEW ORLEANS U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announces the sentencing, on Nov. 18, 2020, ofMYLES NICHOLAS, age 33, of Jamaica, New York, by U.S. District Judge Wendy Vitter. Judge Vitter sentencedNICHOLASto 25 months in prison pursuant to his prior guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft. These charges arose fromNICHOLASSJune 2019 trip with his co-defendant to southeast Louisiana where they attempted to commit fraud at several Baton Rouge-area Best Buy stores.
According to court documents, members of the Louisiana Financial Crimes Task Force received information thatNICHOLASand his co-defendant, Terrence Nealy, would be flying to New Orleans from New York on the morning of June 21, 2019. Jefferson Parish Sheriffs Office deputies and U.S. Secret Service agents initiated surveillance at New Orleans International Airport, where they observedNICHOLASand Nealy arrive on their flight from New Yorks JFK Airport.NICHOLASand Nealy then rented a car and immediately drove to Baton Rouge. While in Baton Rouge, the defendants opened a $4,000 line of credit at a Best Buy store using a stolen identity. Shortly thereafter, however, their attempt to purchase an Apple MacBook Pro using that line of credit was denied.NICHOLASand Nealy returned to their car and drove back to New Orleans. Later that day, they were arrested near their hotel in downtown New Orleans by state and federal members of the Louisiana Financial Crimes Task Force.
Terrence Nealy has likewise pleaded guilty. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 20, 2021.
U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the agencies that contributed to this conviction, which represents a coordinated effort of federal and state law enforcement authorities within the Louisiana Financial Crimes Task Force. The Task Force includes representatives from the U.S. Secret Service, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. State Department, Internal Revenue Service, Social Security Administration-Office of Inspector General, the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, the Louisiana Attorney Generals Office, the Jefferson Parish Sheriffs Office, the New Orleans Police Department, the Covington Police Department, Hammond Police Department, Kenner Police Department, Louisiana State Police, Mandeville Police Department, Slidell Police Department, St. Bernard Parish Sheriffs Office, St. John The Baptist Sheriffs Office, St. Tammany Parish Sheriffs Office, Tangipahoa Parish Sheriffs Office, and the St. Tammany Parish District Attorneys Office. Assistant United States Attorney Matthew R. Payne is in charge of the prosecution.
-- U.S. Attorney's Office,Eastern District of Louisiana
Source: U.S. Secret Service