Gillette man sentenced for stealing county resident's identity

Justin Ross Hogan of Gillette has been given a suspended sentence for a case involving the stolen identity of a resident of Crook County.

On August 23, 2018, a Sheriff’s Office deputy was given a report of alleged credit card fraud and advised that the alleged victim is a resident of this county. The deputy made contact with the victim at his residence, where he claimed that six credit accounts had been opened in his name beginning in September, 2017, without his knowledge or consent.

According to court reports, the victim stated he had been unaware of the credit accounts until he recently tried to purchase a camper trailer and the dealer ran his credit.

The credit report allegedly contained the victim’s social security number and date of birth and shows the six credit reports being opened. The victim stated that he pays most bills with cash and does not shop online and does not know how or when his personal information was obtained.

Of the six accounts, the amounts charged varied from $10 to $4418.

Hogan was bound over on five felony counts of “unauthorized use of personal identifying information” in an amount of $1000 and one misdemeanor count of unauthorized use of personal identifying information in an amount under $1000. As part of the plea agreement, all but one of the felony counts were dismissed and Hogan pled guilty to the remaining charge.

He was given a sentence of three to six years in a state penal institution, suspended pending successful completion of 48 months of probation. Hogan was also ordered to pay restitution totaling $11,455.