15 December – LAWFUEL – The Law News Network – A Moreno Valley man has been sentenced to 87 months in federal prison for collecting credit card account information through a waitress and other means, and using that information to generate counterfeit credit cards in his home.
John Wesley Reshard, 42, was sentenced Wednesday by United States District Judge Nora M. Manella, who also ordered the defendant to pay restitution totaling approximately $140,000 to the more than 50 identified victims. Judge Manella cited Reshard’s extensive criminal history in imposing a sentence at the high end of the sentencing guideline range.
Reshard pleaded guilty in July 2005 to conspiracy, fraudulent possession of over 15 unauthorized access devices (credit card accounts) and fraudulent possession of device-making equipment. Reshard employed a waitress who worked at two Inland Empire restaurants to use a “skimmer” device – a palm-sized box that collects encoded account information when a credit card is swiped through it. The waitress has pleaded guilty to federal charges. He also obtained by other means handwritten credit card information and screen prints of accounts.
When federal agents searched Reshard’s home, they found more than 1,500 stolen credit card account numbers. Also in his home, Reshard had the software and hardware to download the account information from the skimmers and encode that information, as well as the information from handwritten account information, into blank credit card stock. Reshard had an embossing machine to type names and account numbers on the cards. During an undercover operation, Reshard delivered a made-to-order counterfeit credit card encoded with the account information of an innocent victim and embossed with the name an undercover operative requested.
According to court documents, Reshard fraudulently obtained the credit card account numbers between April 2003 and May 2004.
This case is the result of an investigation by the United States Secret Service.
CONTACT: Assistant United States Attorney Greg Lesser
(213) 894-6682
