$1M Fine For Bowie Thief Who Bought Jewelry, Gambled

BOWIE, MD — A Bowie woman was convicted of bank fraud, mail fraud and aggravated identity theft Tuesday, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced.

Tonia Latrice Lewis, 47, obtained the identities of dozens of victims and used those identities to open bank accounts and apply for loans in the names of the victims, without their knowledge or consent.

According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Lewis submitted over 30 applications to open accounts and get access to funds from various financial institutions, including Pentagon Federal Credit Union, Lafayette Federal Credit Union, U.S. Postal Service Federal Credit Union, Interior Federal Credit Union, D.C. Teachers Federal Credit Union, M&T Bank and others.

Lewis’ scheme included fabricating driver’s licenses and falsifying records submitted in support of these applications, officials said. Lewis used the proceeds from the fraud in part to purchase jewelry, clothes and to gamble at a casino in West Virginia.

Lewis faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a fine of $1 million for the bank fraud, 30 years in prison and a fine of $1 million for the mail fraud, and mandatory minimum penalty of two years in prison for the aggravated identity theft when sentenced on August 18.

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