Laguna Hills man steals identity, then reports it stolen

A Jamaican immigrant who used another man’s identity to buy a BMW reported the identity stolen when he defaulted on the car payments, Orange County authorities said Friday.

Ryan Matthews, 38, of Laguna Hills reported the phony identity stolen because he wanted to continue using it after a decade and did not want its credit score to be affected negatively, authorities said.

Matthews pleaded guilty Thursday to one felony count each of identity theft, grand theft and false impersonation, and two felony counts of grand theft by false pretense related to the BMW purchase.

He was sentenced to nine months in jail and three years' probation. He is expected to be deported to Jamaica after completing his sentence, said U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials.

Orange County prosecutors said Matthews used the false identity in February 2009 when he contacted the Sheriff's Department to report his identity had been stolen and his credit used fraudulently to purchase a BMW.

But sheriff’s investigators determined Matthews had stolen the identity of a felon in Nevada 10 years earlier. They also learned Matthews acquired the BMW under the assumed name of "Terrence E." and that the only identity theft involved was by him.

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Comments

[headjazz]

Another illegal ripping us off!

[Michael]

So are you smarter than a police detective with a Federal database? Guess not.

[david]

AThe penalty for id theft needs to be increased according to the dollar amount. This guy needs to go to prison for fifteen years. Start sending these people to prison to do a third or half of their lives behind bars and you will see this type of crime go way down

[Ray]

When will these criminals not be allowed in the country!

[Sheba]

Folk's are losing their minds. Evil is rising to a different level. How long can this world last

[RWh]

Keep those borders open to good quality citizens like this and the gang bangers from Latin America who see America as ripe for the picking or the Armenians who scam Medicare or the Nigerians who do credit card fraud or the Somalis who fly off to be terrorists or the Russians who have their own version of a crime syndicate......and on and on....

[David5]

ID was stolen from a felon? Tells you how far our society has collapsed when there no more honor among thieves .