Fairfield Man Indicted for Bank Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — On Sept. 28, 2023, a federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment against Steven Daniel Miller, 47, of Fairfield, charging him with bank fraud and aggravated identity theft, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

Yesterday Miller made his first appearance in federal court on the case.

According to court documents, in October 2018, Miller used another person’s social security number to complete a credit application with a bank in order to purchase a 2018 Dodge Challenger Hellcat at a car dealership in Yuba City. Based on the false information on the credit application, the bank approved the loan and paid approximately $75,754 to the car dealership. Miller left the dealership with the vehicle, and it was subsequently seized by law enforcement.

This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Secret Service with assistance from the California Highway Patrol, the Solano County Sheriff’s Office, the Rocklin Police Department, the Gilroy Police Department, and the Fairfield Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Denise N. Yasinow is prosecuting the case.

If convicted, Miller faces a maximum statutory penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.