14 DAY TRIAL // Johnny Alexander Melo, aged 36, of Miramar, Florida, has been sentenced to 60 months in prison and ordered to pay $18,594 (€13,900) to the IRS for his involvement in an identity theft tax refund scheme.
The sentence comes after Melo pleaded guilty to one count of possession of five or more identification documents, one count of conspiracy to use a false identification document, one count of aggravated identity theft, and one count of theft of government funds.
According to the United States Attorney’s Office of the Southern District of Florida, the man and his co-conspirators stole the identities of at least 22 individuals and used them to file false tax returns.
Melo attempted to cash out the checks issued by the US Treasury by utilizing fake driver’s licenses made with the names of his victims.