East Bay man convicted of wire fraud, identity theft in Costco parking lot theft – East Bay Times

An East Bay man was sentenced to two years in prison after pleading guilty to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft in connection with a 2021 robbery of a Costco parking lot in San Leandro.

Freddie Lee Davis III and co-defendant Sene Malepeai, both 27, pleaded guilty to the charges after admitting they used stolen credit cards to make fraudulent purchases in 2021, according to a Thursday news release from the U.S. attorney’s office. Both also admitted to knowing that the credit cards belonged to the victim of a robbery that occurred the night of June 17, 2021, the release said.

A woman walking to her car in the Costco parking lot told authorities that someone reached out a car window, grabbed her bag and sped away, dragging her the length of several cars and injuring her hand and leg. The license plates on the Honda were traced to Davis, the news release said.

Davis was sentenced Thursday, while Malepeai awaits sentencing. Malepeai admitted to being in a vehicle with three others who plotted to rob an Asian woman, claiming they were “easy targets” who have more money and are less likely to fight back, the new release said.

Malepeai admitted that the car’s occupants distributed the woman’s belongings, including cash, credit cards and a checkbook, and used the stolen property, the affidavit said.

“Community members should be able to live their lives without fear of being robbed and having items stolen from them used fraudulently,” said Ismail J. Ramsey, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of California, in the press release.

In addition to two years in prison, the minimum sentence for aggravated identity theft, U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers ordered Davis to pay restitution and serve three years of supervised release following his prison term.

Malepeai’s next hearing is scheduled for November 7.