Georgia Man Pleads Guilty to Bank Fraud, Passport Fraud, and Aggravated Identity Theft

Defendant Faces Up to 30 Years in Federal Prison

Gary Dale Thrasher, a 56-year-old man from Georgia, has pleaded guilty to a string of financial crimes, including bank fraud, passport fraud, and aggravated identity theft. As part of his guilty plea, he has agreed to forfeit $25,200 - the proceeds of the fraud offenses.

Fraudulent Activities

Between May and June 2023, Thrasher obtained and used fake identification documents containing the identities of others. He used these fraudulent documents to withdraw cash from four different federally insured financial institutions in the Middle District of Florida.

Investigation and Prosecution

The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Jacksonville, along with local law enforcement agencies including:

• Ocala Police Department
• Wildwood Police Department
• Leesburg Police Department
• Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office

Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg is prosecuting the case.

Sentencing Guidelines

Thrasher faces a maximum penalty of:

• 30 years in federal prison for each of the bank fraud counts
• 10 years of imprisonment for each of the passport fraud offenses
• A two-year minimum mandatory term of imprisonment for the aggravated identity thefts