ID Thiefs Trip Down ‘Felony Lane’

MIAMI – Six members of a sophisticated identity theft ring that siphoned millions of dollars from credit union and bank accounts were sentenced to prison last week as part of a five-year federal investigation known as ‘Operation Felony Lane.’ The defendants, along with three accomplices who have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing, operated a ‘cash and grab’ scheme in which they stole purses and wallets then used the identities of their victims to manufacture phony IDs. The victims included members of Merck, Sharp and Dohme FCU, BrightStar CU, Tropical FCU, Keys FCU, as well as customers of Wachovia, Bank of America, Union Planters Bank, Capital One, SunTrust and Washington Mutual. But investigators said dozens more institutions were affected, too. Investigators call the ring ‘Felony Lane’ because the fraudsters use the farthest lane in a credit union or bank drive-thru--because of they are the farthest from security cameras and tellers–to cash phony checks. The ring also opened new card accounts on the unknowing victims, then used the cards to charge millions in purchases. The thieves obtained the identities first by pickpocketing purses and wallets in public places. One of the places targeted was a local hospital, which the thieves infiltrated by impersonating patients in wheel chairs. More than 80 people in Felony Lane have been charged so far in a scheme authorities say may have stolen as much as $8 million. The defendants sentenced last week were: Shameca Walters, the ringleader; Theresa Mason; Anita Proby; Jerri Marini; Edith Baker and Diana Leathers.