Members of Credit Card Fraud Ring Sentenced

Four Detroit men have been sentenced to federal prison for roles they played in a credit card fraud ring, announced U.S. Attorney Barbara L. McQuade.

On January 25, 2017, U.S. District Judge Mark A. Goldsmith sentenced Terry Lewis, age 41, to 60 months in prison. Judge Goldsmith had previously sentenced Lewis’s co-defendants, Eric Dismukes, age 40, to 75 months in prison, Pastor Julius Baker, age 33, to 42 months in prison and Darrius Guyton, age 29, to 39 months in prison. All four defendants were also ordered to serve three-year terms of supervised release upon completion of their prison sentences.

The evidence in the case showed that Dismukes and Lewis illicitly acquired personal identifying information of third parties and then used that information to fraudulently obtain credit cards. Dismukes and Lewis used the fraudulently-obtained credit cards to conduct illicit financial transactions in the Metropolitan Detroit area, including fraudulent retail store purchases and ATM cash withdrawals. Dismukes and Lewis also provided fraudulently-obtained credit cards to other members of the fraud ring, including Baker and Guyton, so that those individuals could also conduct illicit financial transactions. Baker conducted a number of illicit financial transactions using a credit card terminal that was registered to the Rock Community Christian Church, where Baker had served as a pastor. Baker admitted to moving the proceeds of those fraudulent transactions to personal accounts that he controlled. In total, members of the credit card fraud ring caused more than half a million dollars in loss.

Judge Goldsmith has ordered the defendants to pay the following amounts in restitution:

• Dismukes: $150,000

• Pastor Baker: $150,000

• Lewis: $40,000

• Guyton: $15,000

The case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Andrew Yahkind.