BUFFALO, NY — A North Tonawanda man has pleaded guilty to his involvement in a fraud scheme that used stolen credit card numbers to buy tens of thousands of dollars worth of gasoline, U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced Wednesday. Kingsley Brown, 22, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra Jr. and admitted conspiracy to commit bank fraud, a charge that carries a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison.
According to Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles M. Kruly, who is prosecuting the case, Brown and his co-defendant Cross Malik Williams engaged in a fraudulent scheme between August 2022 and July 2023. The duo purchased approximately 570 stolen bank card numbers on various online marketplaces. Using a card printer, they transferred the stolen information to blank plastic cards with magnetic stripes, allowing them to make purchases using the victims’ bank accounts.
Brown and Williams primarily used the stolen card information to purchase gasoline, which they then resold to others at a discounted price. The individuals who purchased the gasoline paid Brown and Williams an amount that was less than the actual price of the fuel, allowing the defendants to profit from the fraudulent transactions. As part of his plea, Brown accepted responsibility for total damages of $192,673.
Cross Malik Williams, Brown’s co-defendant, has already been convicted and is currently awaiting sentencing. Brown’s sentence will be announced at a later date. He faces up to 30 years in prison for his involvement in the fraud scheme. The case highlights federal authorities’ efforts to combat credit card fraud and related financial crimes.
- North Tonawanda man pleads guilty to buying gasoline with stolen credit card numbers
BUFFALO, NY — A North Tonawanda man has pleaded guilty to his involvement in a fraud scheme that used stolen credit card numbers to buy tens of thousands of dollars worth of gasoline, U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced Wednesday. Kingsley Brown, 22, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra Jr. and admitted conspiracy to commit bank fraud, a charge that carries a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison.
According to Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles M. Kruly, who is prosecuting the case, Brown and his co-defendant Cross Malik Williams engaged in a fraudulent scheme between August 2022 and July 2023. The duo purchased approximately 570 stolen bank card numbers on various online marketplaces. Using a card printer, they transferred the stolen information to blank plastic cards with magnetic stripes, allowing them to make purchases using the victims’ bank accounts.
Brown and Williams primarily used the stolen card information to purchase gasoline, which they then resold to others at a discounted price. The individuals who purchased the gasoline paid Brown and Williams an amount that was less than the actual price of the fuel, allowing the defendants to profit from the fraudulent transactions. As part of his plea, Brown accepted responsibility for total damages of $192,673.
Cross Malik Williams, Brown’s co-defendant, has already been convicted and is currently awaiting sentencing. Brown’s sentence will be announced at a later date. He faces up to 30 years in prison for his involvement in the fraud scheme. The case highlights federal authorities’ efforts to combat credit card fraud and related financial crimes.
- Two Brooklyn men plead guilty to armed robberies in New Jersey
NEWARK, NJ — Two Brooklyn, New York men have admitted to their involvement in a series of armed robberies at check-cashing locations in New Jersey and planning additional robberies in several states, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced Thursday.
Ramel Harris, 42, and Neville Brown, 40, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Claire C. Cecchi in federal court in Newark on August 14, 2024. The indictment charges them each with three counts: conspiracy under the Hobbs Act, robbery under the Hobbs Act, and use, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence.
According to court documents and testimony, Harris and Brown were involved in three armed robberies between January 2021 and January 2022. They targeted check cashing locations in various parts of New Jersey, where they bound employees with zip ties and brandished firearms and stole over $578,000. Prior to these successful robberies, they also attempted to rob a check cashing location in Nanuet, New York.
Law enforcement officials linked Harris and Brown to the robberies through video surveillance footage and cell phone records, which they located near the crime scenes. In addition, the investigation revealed that the duo had been conducting surveillance on potential targets in Mount Kisco, New York, Allentown, Pennsylvania, and West Chester, Pennsylvania, as part of their larger robbery conspiracy.
The conspiracy and Hobbs Act robbery charges each carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. The charge of using a firearm during a violent crime carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment and a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years, to be served consecutively with any other sentence imposed. Both charges also carry a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the financial gain or loss, whichever is greater. Sentencing for both defendants is scheduled for December 17, 2024.
- Jamestown man arrested for multiple counts of fentanyl possession
BUFFALO, NY — A Jamestown man has been arrested and charged with several fentanyl-related offenses, U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced Friday. Duane Lowery, 29, faces serious charges including fentanyl possession with intent to resell and fentanyl distribution, which carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine.
According to Assistant U.S. Attorneys Donna M. Duncan and Joshua A. Violanti, who are prosecuting the case, Lowery was identified by investigators as a major fentanyl and cocaine dealer in the Jamestown area. In late 2022, law enforcement conducted controlled purchases of fentanyl from Lowery, which led to further investigation.
On December 7, 2022, a search warrant was executed on Lowery’s Jamestown residence. During the search, authorities seized suspected fentanyl and methamphetamine, as well as drug paraphernalia and $1,140 in cash, all of which supported the charges against Lowery.
Lowery made his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah J. McCarthy and is currently being held pending a detention hearing scheduled for August 19, 2024. The case remains under investigation by local and federal law enforcement agencies seeking to dismantle the drug trafficking network operating in the region.
