Owego Man-With-No-Name Still Convicted of Identity Theft

A sort of mystery man is to be sentenced in September after being convicted by a federal jury of Aggravated Identity Theft and Misuse of a Social Security number.

Prosecutors with the U.S. Attorney’s office say the former Owego resident’s “true identity has yet to be confirmed.” After a four-day trial the jury on May 19 found “John Doe” received Supplemental Security Income benefits using the name, birth date and Social Security number of a homeless Army veteran living in North Carolina.

Federal agents said when they determined the benefits being paid to the former Owego resident had come under false pretense, they questioned the defendant who continued to falsely claim he was the Army vet and he provided agents with a photocopy of the victim’s birth certificate and Social Security card, continuing to claim that they were his own.

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The jury was unable to reach a unanimous verdict on a count of Supplemental Security Income Fraud and a mistrial was declared on that count.

John Doe is facing up to five years in prison and an order to pay 250-thousand dollars in restitution on the counts he was convicted on.