Former Comptroller of Albuquerque Construction Company Arraigned on Federal Fraud and Identity Theft Charges

ALBUQUERQUE – Stephanie Pyle, 39, of Albuquerque, N.M., was arraigned this morning in federal court on a 12-count indictment charging her with six counts of access device fraud and six counts of aggravated identity theft.  Pyle entered a not guilty plea to the indictment and was released pending trial on conditions of release and under pretrial supervision.

The indictment, which was filed on Feb. 10, 2015, alleges that between Jan. 2010 and May 2014, Pyle used credit cards and account numbers in the name of a company without authorization and with the intent to defraud the company.  The indictment alleges that Pyle defrauded the company of approximately $1,531,124.00 during the five-year period.  Counts 6 through 12 of the indictment allege that Pyle used the identity of another person to commit the fraudulent acts charged in Counts 1 through 6.  At the time of the offenses charged in the indictment, Pyle was employed as the comptroller for the Albuquerque-based construction company that was the victim of Pyle’s alleged criminal conduct.

If convicted, Pyle faces a statutory maximum penalty of ten years in prison on each of the six access device fraud charges.  She also faces a mandatory two years in prison on each of the six aggravated identity fraud charges which must be served consecutive to any sentence imposed on the fraud charges.  Charges in indictments are only accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

The case was investigated by the Albuquerque office of Homeland Security Investigations and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy Peña.