Granite City Man Pleads Guilty to Identity Theft: Used Public Library Computer in Scheme
By Beth Hundsdorfer, Belleville News-Democrat, Ill.
Apr. 12–EAST ST. LOUIS — A suspicious librarian halted a heist by an identity thief, who wound up Friday pleading guilty to charges of possession of unauthorized devices, mail fraud and aggravated identity theft.
Jason David Lingo, 28, of Granite City, admitted he purchased 131 credit card numbers in October and November of 2007, then used a Collinsville Public Library’s computer to purchase merchandise with 20 stolen cards, federal court records stated.
Lingo ordered merchandise, mostly electronics, over the Internet with customer names, telephone numbers, e-mail addresses, card verification codes and expiration codes, the court records stated.
Carriers delivered the merchandise, occasionally to vacant lots, then Lingo would sell or pawn the items.
On Dec. 11, the librarian became suspicious because Lingo used different names and credit card numbers to make purchases over the Internet. She called Collinsville Police, who arrested Lingo.
An investigation revealed Lingo performed Internet searches to find online fraud forums and Web sites that discussed illegal methods for getting money fast.
Lingo faces up to 10 years in prison for possession of unauthorized access devices, 20 years for mail fraud, and two for aggravated identity theft, which must be served after the mail fraud sentence rather than at the same time.
The amount of the thefts committed by Lingo is in dispute, but the U.S. Attorney’s office stated that would be resolved by his sentencing date.
U.S. District Judge J. Phil Gilbert is scheduled to sentence Lingo on July 10.
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