A Bronx man admitted stealing the identities of multiple Suffolk County residents, including someone in Huntington, District Attorney Ray Tierney said Friday.
Donald Archibald, 44, pleaded guilty to several counts of grand
larceny and identity theft for stealing the identities of multiple Suffolk County residents and then using their personal identifying information to obtain money.
“Identity theft is on the rise not just in Suffolk County but nationwide. These crimes can happen to anyone and often have lasting effects on the victims for years,” said District Attorney Tierney. “My office will continue to partner with the Suffolk County Police Department and our other law enforcement partners to hold these defendants accountable.”
According to court documents and the defendant’s admissions during his guilty plea allocution, on April 13, 2023, at approximately 12:12 p.m., after obtaining his first victim’s Suffolk County address and contact information off the dark web, Archibald entered an M&T Bank in Bridgeport, Conn., and displayed a false driver’s license to the bank teller. The license displayed the victim’s correct name and address but had the defendant’s face depicted. Archibald presented the teller a withdrawal slip and withdrew $2,000 from the victim’s checking account.
Later that same day, at approximately 12:36 p.m., Archibald went to another M&T Bank branch in Bridgeport and used the same Suffolk County resident’s bank account information and a “washed” check to withdraw $3,000 in cash from the victim’s account.
On April 14, 2023, after once again obtaining another Suffolk County
resident’s personal information off the dark web, Archibald entered a TD Bank in Philadelphia, displayed a false driver’s license with a picture of his own face but with the victim’s information. Archibald then cashed a $4,500 “washed” check issued in the name of the victim.
On Friday, Archibald pleaded guilty to the following charges before Supreme Court Justice Richard Ambro:
One count of Grand Larceny in the Third Degree, a Class D felony;
Two counts of Identity Theft in the First Degree, Class D felonies;
One count of Grand Larceny in the Fourth Degree, a Class E felony; and
One count of Identity Theft in the Second Degree, a Class E felony.
Archibald is due back in court on March 13 for sentencing and is expected to be sentenced to one to three years in prison. He is being represented by Christopher Brocato.
The case is being prosecuted by Ryan Hunter of the Financial Crimes Bureau with the assistance from Detective Daniel Pagano of the Suffolk County Police Department’s Financial Crime Unit.