REDFORD, Mich. – A 39-year-old serial bank robber from Redford was sentenced last week to 71 months in federal prison for stealing the identities of 10 people to commit bank fraud.
Court records show that Rynell Roberts, 39, was convicted of four bank robberies in 2008. During the robberies, Roberts threatened tellers with a firearm. He even fired a pistol inside the bank during one of the robberies.
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After Roberts was released from prison on armed robbery charges, he switched to fraud and started stealing from banks.
Court records indicate that Roberts was sentenced for using stolen identifications to make approximately $119,000 in purchases at local retail stores. As part of his sentence, he was ordered to pay $119,000 in restitution.
“Identification theft not only robs individuals of time and peace of mind, but it also causes unwarranted damage to the credit of law-abiding citizens,” said United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison. “All consumers ultimately bear the costs of these crimes. My office remains committed to holding identity thieves accountable.”
“It is a misperception that identity theft is a victimless crime,” said James A. Tarasca, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Detroit Division. “Victims of this type of fraud can spend significant time and effort clearing up financial issues caused by the greed of these criminals and often causing a significant financial burden to the victim in the process. The FBI will continue to investigate these thieves and protect Michiganders from this type of criminal activity.”
