A former Miami Dade County Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation prison guard was sentenced to 36 months in federal prison by U.S. District Court Judge Charles R. Norgle for his role in a scheme involving theft of prison inmates’ identities which were used to file false tax returns.
Cornelius Crumity pleaded guilty in May, 2014 to one count each of aggravated identity theft and mail fraud in a two-count information. He admitted that beginning in January, 2008 and continuing through April, 2011, he stole at least 50 inmate identities and filed fraudulent federal income taxes. As a result of his conduct, Crumity caused the United States Treasury to suffer loss of at least $55,888. Judge Norgle also imposed a period of one year supervision after his release. Crumity has been ordered to report to the Bureau of Prisons on July 1, 2015.
Crumity, 39, of Pembroke Pines, Florida, was employed by the Miami-Dade County Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (the “MDCDC”) as a prison guard. In that position, he had access to MDCDC databases and records which included the personal information of inmates, such as names and social security numbers. At various times, without the knowledge or authority of the MDCDC or the inmates whose identity information he used, Crumity accessed and copied the names and social security numbers of inmates who were incarcerated by the MDCDC, and used their names and social security numbers to file false and fraudulent tax returns with the Internal Revenue Service.
The case was filed in Illinois because Crumity provided false home addresses for the purported filers, using the address where his co-schemer in Illinois, David Mobley, received mail.
SOURCE: U.S. Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Illinois