Richard Harris was sentenced to 32 months for bank fraud and aggravated identity theft tied to a check-forgery operation. DOJ says purses and checkbooks were stolen from unattended vehicles, then forged checks were cashed using stolen IDs.

A Florida man, Richard Harris, has been sentenced to 32 months in prison for bank fraud and aggravated identity theft connected to a check-forgery scheme. The U.S. Department of Justice (District of Maine) alleges that Harris and co-conspirators stole purses and wallets from unattended vehicles, taking items that included driver’s licenses and checkbooks. Prosecutors say the stolen identities and documents were then used to impersonate victims and cash or otherwise process forged checks. The case underscores a common path from street-level theft to banking fraud: once a perpetrator obtains personal identifying information and financial instruments, the fraud can escalate quickly and spread across multiple financial accounts and transactions. DOJ’s description also shows how identity theft can be used operationally, not just for account takeover—stolen IDs can be used to validate the fraud at financial institutions when checks are deposited or cashed. The sentence reflects federal efforts to deter identity theft and check-based fraud that can cause sustained harm, including financial losses and time-consuming recovery for victims.