California Man Pleads Guilty in a Federal Court in Louisiana in Connection with Scheme Involving Over $300,000 In Fraudulent Purchases Using Other People’s Information

Louisiana – On August 22, 2022, U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that Jonathan Orpilla Sinlao, age 37, a resident of San Jose, California, pled guilty in a federal court in Louisiana on August 18, 2022, to Count One of his indictment, charging him with Conspiracy to Commit Access Device Fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1029(b)(2). In exchange, the government has agreed to dismiss seven counts of Access Device Fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1029(a)(5).

By pleading guilty to Count One, the defendant faces a maximum sentence of seven and a half years in prison, three years of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000.00, and a mandatory special assessment charge of $100.00.

SINLAO and others, according to court records, conspired to make roughly $340,164.49 in fraudulent purchases of gift cards and items at The Home Depot stores using consumers’ Citibank credit card numbers. These purchases took place at Home Depot locations in Louisiana, Florida, Texas, Arizona, California, New York, and Oklahoma between February and July of 2019. The Honorable Barry W. Ashe scheduled sentencing for November 10, 2022.

U.S. Attorney Evans commended the Department of Homeland Security, the Oklahoma City Police Department, and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office for their efforts in investigating this case. Assistant United States Attorney Maria Carboni is in charge of the prosecution in this case.