Kansas City Woman Indicted for Identity Theft, Assaulting Federal Officers

KANSAS CITY, MO—Beth Phillips, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Kansas City, Missouri, woman was indicted by a federal grand jury today for aggravated identity theft and for assaulting federal officers with a vehicle while fleeing during pursuit.

Christine Lane

, 22, of Kansas City, was charged in a two-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City. Today’s indictment replaces a federal criminal complaint that was filed against Lane on Aug. 10, 2010. Lane remains in federal custody without bond.

Today’s indictment alleges that Lane stole the identity of another person on July 30, 2010. According to an affidavit filed in support of the original criminal complaint, Lane used another person’s identity information to purchase a vehicle. When U.S. Secret Service agents learned that Lane planned to return to the car dealership a few days later, the affidavit says, they were waiting for her.

On Aug. 3, 2010, Lane and an unknown male returned to the dealership. When they saw the federal agents, the affidavit says, they sprinted back to their vehicle with the agents in pursuit. The unknown male jumped into the driver’s seat and Lane jumped into the back seat behind the driver. Two U.S. Secret Service agents attempted to apprehend Lane and the driver; when he began to drive away at a high rate of speed, the affidavit says, both agents were dragged by the vehicle.

Phillips cautioned that the charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick D. Daly. It was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Secret Service, and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.