District of Montana

JAMES ALAN CARBIS PLEADS GUILTY IN U.S. FEDERAL COURT

Bill Mercer, United States Attorney for the District of Montana, announced today that during a federal court session in Helena on September 16, 2008, before Senior U.S. District Judge Charles C. Lovell, JAMES ALAN CARBIS, a 36-year-old resident of Helena, pled guilty to fraudulent use of a Social Security card and aggravated identity theft. Sentencing is set for December 11, 2008. He is currently detained.

In an Offer of Proof filed by the United States, the government stated it would have proved at trial the following:

In March of 2007, CARBIS opened a business checking account - Fast Track Enterprises - at Mountain West Bank. CARBIS attempted to deposit Fast Track Enterprises checks into his personal savings account at Elkhorn Credit Union, but it was determined that the Mountain West Bank account had previously been closed. Investigation determined that CARBIS had used his brother, H.C.'s, Social Security number to open both accounts.

H.C. was interviewed and stated CARBIS had used H.C.'s Social Security number in the past, causing H.C. to lose a leased vehicle and a business due to the harm to H.C.'s credit history.

CARBIS admitted he used his brother, H.C.'s, Social Security number to open bank accounts. He also indicated he had bad credit and the only way he could open the accounts was with his brother's Social Security number.

CARBIS faces possible penalties of 5 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and 3 years supervised release. In addition, CARBIS faces an additional mandatory two year imprisonment, consecutive to any other sentence, for aggravated identity theft.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Carl E. Rostad prosecuted the case for the United States.

The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

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A copy of the Offer of Proof can be obtained by contacting Sally Frank at (406) 247-4638.