Queens, NY – A defendant who used multiple aliases was sentenced for stealing three homes in a wide-ranging deed fraud operation.
The man, known publicly as John Doe, was arrested earlier this year under the name Carl Avinger.
The real Carl Avinger later contacted authorities after learning his identity had been stolen.
Key Points
- John Doe received concurrent prison sentences for identity theft and grand larceny
- Three co-defendants pleaded guilty for roles in the deed fraud scheme
- Investigation expanded after the real identity theft victim alerted prosecutors
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said the case demonstrated the office’s determination to hold the defendant accountable for both the property thefts and the identity theft that helped conceal them. She credited her Housing and Worker Protection Bureau with unraveling the scheme and confirming the defendant’s true status.
Doe pleaded guilty in August to identity theft in the first degree. He was sentenced on October 1 to three and a half to seven years in prison. One week later he pleaded guilty to grand larceny in the first degree and two counts of grand larceny in the second degree for the home thefts, leading to an additional sentence of four and a half to nine years imposed today. All sentences will run concurrently.
Subhead: Co-defendants sentenced in related cases
Torey Guice, a co-defendant, pleaded guilty on October 7 to falsifying business records in the second degree. He received a one-year conditional discharge and must consent to void the fraudulent deed tied to his charge.
Autumn Valeri pleaded guilty on October 8 to three counts of grand larceny in the second degree. She was sentenced on November 5 to five years of probation and must surrender her real estate license, with all related property deeds ordered voided.
Subhead: Additional defendant agrees to restitution
Another co-defendant, Lawrence Ray, pleaded guilty on October 16 to a scheme to defraud in the first degree. His recommended sentence includes five years of probation and forfeiture of $403,829.22. He must also consent to voiding the deeds connected to the stolen properties.