HOUSTON — A Houston man has been sentenced to prison for identity theft in the Eastern District of Texas, Acting U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei announced on Tuesday, May 25.
French Latrelle Carpenter, 45, pleaded guilty on February 4, 2021, and was given a prison term of 40 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Michael J. Truncale.
“Anybody who has ever been a victim of identity theft can attest to how stressful the experience can be and how difficult it can be to get your finances back in order. Identity theft wreaks havoc on the finances of its victims, which can take literally years to repair. Criminals that victimize others through identity theft in the Eastern District of Texas should expect to receive a visit from law enforcement,” said Ganjei.
During the search of Carpenter’s vehicle on August 28, 2020, four credit card skimmers were found, along with a laptop, blank credit cards and several birth certificates belonging to other individuals. More than 100 credit card numbers complete with personal identifying information for three persons were found in his laptop, where police also found a document related to credit card fraud and an internet search history related to buying with stolen credit card data.
Previously, Carpenter was indicted by a federal grand jury on November 4, 2020, and was charged with federal violations.
Carpenter’s identity theft case was investigated and prosecuted by Homeland Security Investigations and the Corrigan Police Department and by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Tommy L. Coleman, respectively.