Men convicted of identity theft, including purchase of a van from Modesto dealership

Two men face federal prison sentences for an identity fraud scheme, which included purchases of a $39,000 van from a Modesto dealership.

On Monday, Derek Hillgert, 29, of Carmichael, and Jeffrey Wilhite, 31, of Linden, pleaded guilty to aggravated identity theft, possessing stolen mail and committing access device fraud, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Sacramento.

Federal prosecutors said Hillgert and Wilhite stole mail and used the identifying information to conduct fraudulent transactions. When the defendants were arrested, they had more than 200 pieces of stolen mail belonging to more than 100 victims, according to the news release.

Wilhite helped Hillgert use a stolen identity to create a phony driver’s license but with Hilgert’s photograph, the prosecutors said. Hillgert then used the fake license to obtain a loan in the identity theft victim’s name to buy the $39,000 van, according to the news release.

The prosecutors said Wilhite obtained a Target store debit card account using another stolen identity, and the defendants made purchases of more than $3,000 with it.

Hillgert and Wilhite are scheduled to be sentenced Jan. 14 by U.S. District Judge William Shubb. They each face a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine for possessing stolen mail.

The defendants each face a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine for access device fraud. And Hillgert and Wilhite each face a mandatory consecutive prison sentence of two years for aggravated identity theft.

This story was originally published October 30, 2018 at 12:47 PM.