Brian G. Lizama Sentenced to Prison for Identity Theft Scheme

 Saipan, MP – SHAWN N. ANDERSON, United States Attorney for the Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, announced that defendant Brian Galang Lizama, age 49, was sentenced in the United States District Court for the Northern Mariana Islands to 24 months imprisonment for Aggravated Identity Theft, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1028A(a)(1).  The Court also ordered Lizama to pay $30,850 in restitution, serve one year of supervised release following imprisonment, perform 50 hours of community service, and pay a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.  

During December 2019, Lizama obtained a copy of his brother’s birth certificate from the Commonwealth Healthcare Corporation on Saipan.  He used the certificate to obtain an identification card in his brother’s name from the Saipan Mayor’s Office.  Lizama then used the identification card to make $30,850 in withdrawals from his brother’s Bank of Guam savings account.  Lizama’s brother discovered the theft upon later checking the balance of his savings account by phone.

U.S. Attorney Anderson stated, “Theft scams occur by many methods, including the unlawful use of identity documents.  The substantial loss in this matter warranted federal prosecution.  The public is urged to take precautions with their personal information and regularly monitor their financial accounts to combat this activity.  If someone suspects they may be a victim of identity theft, they should contact law enforcement immediately.  Additional assistance may be obtained at IdentityTheft.gov or by calling the Federal Trade Commission at (877) 438-4338.”

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the CNMI Department of Public Safety.  The case was prosecuted by Garth R. Backe, Assistant United States Attorney in the District of the Northern Mariana Islands.