FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS, Ill. — A federal judge has sentenced Jamaine D. Brooks, 46, from Fort Wayne, Indiana, to two years in prison after he admitted to identity theft and check fraud. In July, Brooks pled guilty to several charges, including possession of multiple IDs, skimming devices, and identity theft. After his release from prison, he will serve three years on parole.
Court documents reveal that Brooks used stolen identities to commit financial fraud and make purchases at various Walmart locations and other retail stores. He was arrested in southern Illinois in March 2021, carrying a substantial amount of stolen personal information and equipment for altering checks.
At the time of his arrest, Brooks had already made over $5,000 in fraudulent purchases using his victims’ identities with a significant portion spent at a Walmart in Collinsville, Illinois. In addition to the prison sentence, he was ordered to pay $5,154.75 in restitution to one specific victim.
The stolen identification cards, credit and debit cards, and Social Security cards belonged to at least 40 people. Another suspect, Chelci Johnson, 33, also from Fort Wayne, Indiana, was named a co-defendant in the indictment.
