Criminal mastermind gets 11 years in prison

FRESNO
October 22, 2008 8:15am

Keith David Goodwin, 31, of Fresno, is being sent to prison for up to 11 years after being convicted of masterminding an identification theft crime spree in the Central Valley.

He was found guilty of conspiracy, nine counts of credit card fraud, four counts of identity theft, and four counts of aggravated identity theft.

Mr. Goodwin stole various individuals’ identities, obtained credit in their names, bought $121,000 worth of goods using those credit cards, and sold those items to local contractors, according to Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stanley Boone and Sheila Oberto who prosecuted the case.

Prosecutors say he was the leader of a gang that ripped off IDs and credit cards in California, Nevada and Utah.

Mr. Goodwin was accused of acquiring identities from persons who worked at mortgage companies and a realty office. He then used those identities to file online credit applications with Home Depot, Sam’s Club, Zales and JC Penny, primarily in the Fresno area.

Using the fraudulently acquired credit card account numbers, he purchased goods for thousands of dollars. He frequently patronized The Home Depot, and purchased large quantities of goods and equipment throughout the Central Valley as well as outside California. The evidence at trial showed that Mr. Goodwin then sold the merchandise to local contractors for 50 cents on the dollar.

In November 2005, he was arrested at Wal-Mart in Fresno using a fraudulent identity and attempting to purchase $3,000 in electronic merchandise.