EAST ST. LOUIS — A 36-year-old Belleville woman has been sentenced in federal court to 2 years in prison for stealing the identities of others and using those identities to purchase a new vehicle from a Germantown dealership.

According to Steven D. Weinhoeft, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois , Kyetia M. Hines was convicted of conspiracy, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft.

Court records say that in October 2018, Hines submitted an online credit application, under the name of an individual whose identity had been stolen, to Jansen Chevrolet in Germantown.

Then, on Nov. 1, 2018, Hines went to Jansen Chevrolet and purchased a new Chevy Malibu using that stolen identity.

For purposes of obtaining financing to purchase the vehicle, Hines provided the dealership with fraudulent documents containing the stolen names.

One such document was a fake temporary Illinois driver’s license bearing Hines’ picture and the stolen name.

Co-defendant Tamecia C. Buckley, 36, of Belleville, Illinois, has also pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft. At her plea hearing, Buckley admitted that she also purchased a car from Jansen Chevrolet using a stolen identity. Buckley is set to be
sentenced on Jan. 23, 2020.

Both the charges of wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud carry maximum sentences of twenty years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.

Aggravated identity theft carries a mandatory sentence of two years of imprisonment.

The investigation was conducted by agents from the FBI’s Springfield Division – Fairview Heights
Resident Agency, the Illinois Secretary of State Police, and the Germantown, Illinois, Police
Department.

Investigators recovered both of the fraudulently purchased vehicles and returned them to Jansen
Chevrolet.

Employees  of  Jansen  Chevrolet  cooperated  and assisted  law enforcement officials during the investigation.