The ringleader of a bank fraud and identity theft scheme in Southwest Georgia involving stolen checks and a fake recruiting website has been sentenced to 81 months in federal prison.

Jalen Tylee Hill, also known as “Roscoe Hill,” 26, of Americus was the last of 15 defendants to be sentenced in the case. Hill pleaded guilty last month to one count of bank fraud, one count of aggravated identify theft, and one count of conspiracy to possess stolen mail.

According to court documents and testimony, the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office received a complaint in December 2021 about mail theft and forged checks. Investigators found that numerous checks that had been stolen from mailboxes at residential and commercial locations throughout the region were being forged and deposited into other bank accounts.

Hill was found to have directed the scheme, recruiting people via Facebook to deposit stolen, forged or duplicated checks into their bank accounts in exchange for splitting half of the money. During a six-month period, Hill stole hundreds of pieces of mail, took part in at least 68 incidents of bank fraud, and unlawfully used debit cards belonging to others at least 14 times.

Hill then deposited numerous stolen, forged or otherwise fraudulent checks into other bank accounts at more than 10 banks or other financial institutions, with a loss of more than $165,000.

As part of another scheme, Hill created a fake solar panel installation company recruiting page online from which he stole the identities of 28 victims.

“Schemes to defraud and steal from citizens will not be tolerated,” said C. Shanelle Booker, acting U.S. attorney in the Middle District of Georgia. “This case serves as a reminder for all of us to be as vigilant as possible with what we share online and monitor our financial accounts.”

After serving his prison sentence, Hill will be on three years of supervised release. The court will determine the restitution he must pay later.

A co-defendant in the case, Victoria Lynn Carter of Americus, also was sentenced on Wednesday. Carter, 25, will serve one year of supervised release.

Thirteen other co-defendants already have been sentenced to short prison terms and/or supervised release and ordered to pay restitution.

The case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office with assistance from the FBI and U.S. Secret Service

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