Convicted San Jose Identity Thief Sentenced To Long Prison Sentence

SAN JOSE - A 47-year-old man was sentenced Monday in Santa Clara County Superior Court to nearly two decades in prison for participating in what San Jose police called one of the most extensive identity theft rings in the city's history, according to prosecutors.

Tri Van Nguyen was sentenced by Judge Socrates Manoukian to 17 years and eight months in prison after he was convicted of 63 counts of identity theft, as well as forgery, possession of equipment to make fake IDs, possession of a firearm, possession of a controlled substance and vehicle theft-related charges, according to prosecutor Vishal Bathija.

Nguyen and three other co-defendants stole more than $500,000 from more than 60 victims, including widows, an elderly couple who lost their retirement account and a 4-year-old boy whose stolen identity was used to pay a relative's electricity bill, prosecutors said.

Co-defendant Ha Van Nguyen, 38, was previously sentenced to 29 years and eight months while another co-defendant, Mai Hong, 36, was sentenced to 17 years and eight months in prison.

Additionally, Kent Do, 30, was sentenced to probation for 10 years because of a lack of criminal history and lesser participation in the scheme, according to prosecutors.

Police initially arrested three of the four defendants back in 2013 at a North San Jose apartment.

Inside, they found what prosecutors described as an ID theft factory, including four printers used to make fake IDs and counterfeit $100 bills. Police also discovered the apartment was being rented using the name of a person whose identity had been stolen, prosecutors said.

To steal identities, Nguyen and the three other co-defendants committed residential and auto burglaries, stole mail, pulled information from obituaries and even started a fraudulent online company called nguyenantithievemailprevention.com, according to prosecutors.

Investigators believe the defendants used the illegal proceeds to buy luxury cars, electronics, ammunition and at least one breast augmentation surgery.

"These were not people shoplifting from a grocery store to feed themselves," Bathija said. "This was a destructive, extensive and obscene money grab."

-Bay City News