BOSTON – Joshua Cruz, 35, of Lawrence, was sentenced today for his involvement in an identity theft scheme using stolen identities of U.S. citizens from Puerto Rico to fraudulently acquire vehicles and other goods, and to misuse bank accounts and credit cards.
U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris handed down a sentence of two years in prison and three years of supervised release. Additionally, Cruz is ordered to pay $75,346 in restitution to the victims. In September 2023, he pleaded guilty to charges including conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and false representation of a Social Security number. Cruz and his co-defendants were initially charged in September 2020 and later indicted by a federal grand jury in October 2020. This follows a previous two-year state custody sentence for related activities.
From December 2018 to January 2019, Cruz targeted Massachusetts car dealerships, purchasing late-model vehicles and applying for full financing. He used stolen personal information, fraudulent Puerto Rico driver’s licenses, and Social Security cards for application support. The scheme involved using these stolen identities to obtain loans and purchase three cars, collectively valued at over $170,000.