Man Sentenced To 5 Years For Identity Theft, Smoking Marijuana In Jail

MONTEREY COUNTY, CA — A Marina man has been sentenced to more than five years in prison in connection with an identity theft case and for using marijuana in jail while awaiting trial, Monterey County District Attorney Dean Flippo announced Thursday.

Shane Matthew Jones, 24, was sentenced Wednesday to five years and four months in the California Department of Corrections. Prosecutors said he acquired identifying information of more than 10 people with the intent to defraud them.

On April 5, a Monterey County resident reported a personal check in the amount of $900 was written out to Shane Jones. The victim said she didn't know who Jones was or how he was able to get her bank account information.

On April 15, police located Jones inside a hotel room in Seaside with laptop computers, misprinted checks and a computer containing a check software program, prosecutors said. Investigators discovered photographs of checks and electronic copies of billing statements of more than a dozen people on a USB drive.

The drive also contained instructions on how to fraudulently obtain instant credit using other people's information, prosecutors said. On May 27, Jones was in custody awaiting trial at the Monterey
County Jail for the identity theft case when he seen on surveillance video smoking marijuana with his bunkmates.

By Bay City News

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