Johnstown Man Sentenced For 'Fraudulently Obtaining Confidential Phone Records'

From the U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Colorado:

Posted on Friday, December 20, 2019

DENVER – United States Attorney Jason R. Dunn announced Friday that Matthew Marre, age 30, of Johnstown, Colorado was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge R. Brooke Jackson to serve 15 months imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release for fraudulently obtaining confidential phone records. The defendant appeared at the hearing in custody and was remanded at the hearing’s conclusion. The FBI joined in today’s announcement.

According to the stipulated facts contained in the plea agreement, Marre worked as a fugitive recovery agent, or bounty hunter, throughout Colorado. He contacted the four major cellular phone carriers – Sprint, Verizon, T-Mobile and AT&T – falsely claiming to be a law enforcement officer investigating exigent circumstances with suicidal subjects. In doing so, Marre submitted false documents and used an email address he had created to look like an official law enforcement email. Marre’s fraudulent requests involved cell phone GPS location information which he used in an effort to locate bounties rather than for a legitimate law enforcement purposes.

Phone providers became suspicious of Marre’s requests for emergency assistance and contacted the FBI when their attempts to verify Marre’s claim to be a law enforcement officer were unsuccessful.

“Those who impersonate peace officers for their own private gain will be held accountable for their actions,” said U.S. Attorney Jason Dunn. “In this case, the defendant will have some time in federal prison to reflect on his conduct.”

"Impersonating a law enforcement officer is a serious offense," stated FBI Special Agent in Charge Dean Phillips. "Gaining access to private information without a legitimate law enforcement purpose, especially alleging a threat to life, undermines the lawful processes in place which allow us to investigate crime."

This case was investigated by the FBI Safe Streets Task Force. The defendant was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Greg Holloway.

This press release was produced by the U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Colorado. The views expressed here are the author’s own.