Two Belleville Women Indicted for Fraud for Purchasing New Automobiles in False Names

Yesterday, a federal grand jury for the Southern District of Illinois returned an indictment charging Tamecia C. Buckley, 36, of Belleville, Illinois, and Kyetia M. Hines, 36, also of Belleville, with conspiracy and wire fraud, announced Steven D. Weinhoeft, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois. The charges arise from a scheme to purchase new automobiles in false names.

The indictment charges that in late October 2018, Buckley and Hines both submitted online credit applications under false names to Jansen Chevrolet in Germantown, Illinois. Then, on separate days, both Buckley and Hines went to Jansen Chevrolet and purchased new Chevy Malibus using those false names. For purposes of obtaining financing to purchase those cars, both Buckley and Hines provided the dealership with fraudulent documents containing the false names, including fake temporary Illinois driver’s licenses.

Both the charges of wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud carry maximum sentences of twenty years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. The arraignments for both Buckley and Hines will be conducted on February 8, 2019, at 10:00 a.m. at the Federal Courthouse in East St. Louis, Illinois.

An indictment is a formal charge against a defendant. Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be innocent of a charge until proved guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to the satisfaction of a jury.

The investigation was conducted by agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Division, Fairview Heights Resident Agency, the Illinois Secretary of State Police, and the Germantown, Illinois, Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Scott A. Verseman.