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Press Release

Nine Indicted in Connection with Identity Theft and Bank Fraud Conspiracy

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of New York
Charged for their Roles in a Nationwide “Felony Lane Gang” Scheme

SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Nine men have been charged in a 13-count indictment for their roles in a wide-ranging bank fraud and identity theft scheme that affected hundreds of victims, including in Onondaga and Albany Counties.

The announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney Antoinette T. Bacon; William F. Sweeney, Jr., Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); and Sheriff Robert L. Langley, Jr., of the Putnam County Sheriff’s Department.

The nine defendants are:

  • TYRONE PARKER, JR. a/k/a “Ty,” a/k/a “Cheese,” a/k/a “Little Thigh,” age 21, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida;
  • JOSHUA MALLORY, a/k/a “P,” a/k/a “Pudge,” age 35, of Fort Lauderdale;
  • TYRONE PARKER, a/k/a “Tyron Parker,” a/k/a “Thigh,” age 39, of Fort Lauderdale;
  • RANDALL TAYLOR, a/k/a “Gucci,” a/k/a “Guwop,” age 34, of Fort Lauderdale;
  • CEDRIC LYNCH, a/k/a “City,” a/k/a “C,” age 35, of Orlando, Florida;
  • TERRELL MCDONALD, a/k/a “Ruger,” a/k/a “Moon,” age 30, of Troy, New York;
  • KEYSHAWN ARNOLD, a/k/a “Key,” age 23, of Schenectady, New York;
  • ROBERT NATSON, a/k/a “Big Rob,” age 34, of Fort Lauderdale; and
  • GARY GRIER, a/k/a “G,” age 34, of Fort Lauderdale.

 

Each of the defendants is charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft.  The charges in the indictment are merely accusations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

As alleged in the indictment, the defendants were involved together in a fraud scheme known as “Felony Lane Gang.”  Such schemes are characterized by members of the conspiracy using stolen identification from one victim to conduct fraudulent transactions using checks and credit cards stolen from another victim.  The mobile identity theft ring traveled across the country breaking into cars, often targeting those parked by women at locations such as health and fitness centers, daycares, outdoor recreational parks, and dog parks.  After committing these “smash-and-grab” vehicle thefts, members of the conspiracy stole debit cards, credit cards, check books, and photo identifications, which they later used to commit bank fraud, sometimes even years later.  The leaders of the scheme recruited women, whom they often referred to as “faces,” to impersonate the smash-and-grab victims in drive-through bank lanes.  The recruited check cashers were almost always suffering from an addiction to a controlled substance and were provided payment at least partially in narcotics.

The defendants were collectively involved in more than 700 smash-and-grab thefts and approximately 1,000 fraudulent bank transactions in the Northern District of New York and all over the country, with losses exceeding $1.5 million. 

McDonald was arrested in Troy; Mallory, Parker, Lynch, and Grier were arrested in Florida; Taylor was arrested in Utah; and Parker, Jr. was arrested in Georgia.  Arnold was in New York State custody on unrelated state charges and will come into federal custody at a later date.

If convicted of the charges set forth in the indictment, the defendants each face up to 30 years in prison, and a mandatory minimum sentence of 2 years on each aggravated identity theft count. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.

This case is being investigated by the FBI Westchester Resident Agency of the New York Field Office and the Putnam County Sheriff’s Department, with assistance from the FBI Field Offices in Albany, Miami, and Salt Lake City, and Resident Agencies in Savannah, Georgia, and Portland, Maine, and from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine, the Saratoga County District Attorney’s Office, and the Ulster County District Attorney’s Office.  Additional assistance was provided by numerous law enforcement agencies, including, within New York, the New York State Police; Columbia County Sheriff's Office; Genesee County Sheriff’s Office; Monroe County Sheriff’s Office; Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office; Warren County Sheriff’s Office; and the police departments of the Town of Bethlehem; Glens Falls; Gloversville; Greenburgh; Greece; and Watervliet; and elsewhere, Connecticut State Police; Florida Department of Law Enforcement; Georgia State Patrol; Illinois State Police; Massachusetts State Police; Broward County, FL Sheriff’s Office; Northern York County, PA Regional Police; Southern Chester County, PA Regional Police; Utah County, UT Sheriff's Office; and the police departments of Auburn, MA; Bath, ME; Biddeford, ME; Bozeman, MT; Brunswick, ME; Caernarvon Township, PA; Chester Township, PA; Cinnaminson, NJ; Darien, CT; East Norriton Township, PA; Easthampton, MA; Greenwich, CT; Lower Moreland Township, PA; Manheim Township, PA; Portland, ME; Portsmouth, NH; Saco, ME; Salisbury, MA; Sanford, ME; Scarborough, ME; Somersworth, NH; South Portland, ME; St. George, UT; Syracuse, UT; Tinicum, PA; Towamencin, PA; Tewksbury, MA; Wakefield, MA; Yarmouth, ME; and York, ME. 

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew D. Beaty.

Updated September 3, 2020

Topics
Financial Fraud
Identity Theft