A 43-year-old Ohio woman pleaded guilty Thursday to a string of 70 felonies committed against a number of south Baldwin County residents.
Baldwin County Circuit Judge James Reid sentenced Rhonda Janelle Frazier to a split term of 19 months already served with the remaining 10-year term for each of the four felony categories.
Frazier was also given a five-year probation term.
Frazier befriended a couple while living in Orange Beach and said that she would file a claim for them in relation to the BP oil spill in 2010.
Instead, Frazier got the woman's Social Security number and other information that allowed her to open a number of credit and cell phone accounts in the victim's name.
She ended up charged with 56 counts of fraudulent use of a credit card, 12 counts of second-degree forgery, one count of identity theft and one count of second-degree theft involving a separate victim.
Frazier entered a blind plea, which is a plea with no pre-set agreement on sentence terms. Assistant District Attorney Chandra Paul wanted Reid to sentence Frazier as a habitual offender with prison terms up to life, due to prior convictions on similar cases in Ohio.
Reid, however, opted for the lesser terms.
Baldwin County District Attorney Hallie Dixon called Frazier "a predator."
Dixon said, "The victims were already were in a fragile position as a result of the BP oil spill's effect on the local economy."
Dixon said that citizens especially need to keep Social Security numbers and other personal information confidential.
BP scammer may have other victims, Baldwin investigators say
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on February 26, 2011 at 5:51 AM, updated February 26, 2011 at 6:53 AM
ORANGE BEACH, Alabama -- Baldwin County authorities arrested an Ohio woman Friday who they say posed as a mediator for a Foley woman trying to file an oil spill claim against BP.
Rhonda J. Frazier, 41, was charged with nine felonies and eight misdemeanors, ranging from identity theft to fraudulent use of a credit card and third-degree forgery.
Although investigators know of only a single victim so far, Frazier’s behavior in the two weeks before her arrest suggested that there may be many more victims, said Maj. Anthony Lowery, a spokesman for the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office.
"She’s changed her name a few times, and she has changed residences a few times, and that’s why we suspect there are additional victims out there," Lowery said. "I find it unlikely that she stopped at one victim because she was highly successful with the victim she had."
Frazier also used the names Rhonda J. Montgomery, Rhonda K. Montgomery and Rhonda K. Frazier while she was in the area, Lowery said.
Frazier’s most recent address was in Orange Beach, according to the Baldwin County Corrections Center website, but Lowery said she has an extensive criminal history in Ohio for similar offenses.
It’s unclear whether she moved to the Gulf Coast specifically to take advantage of the oil spill, Lowery said.
Frazier gained access to the victim’s financial documents by posing as a mediator, who would help her prepare documents for an eventual claim against BP PLC, Lowery said.
Frazier did ultimately prepare some documents that were apparently convincing enough that the victim thought Frazier was acting in good faith, but only after enough information had been obtained to open five credit card accounts and sign up for a cell-phone plan, Lowery said.
Frazier racked up almost 200 charges and several cash advances on the cards, according to a release issued by the Sheriff’s Office. Security cameras at a big-box store and a bank showed her using the cards, according to the release.
The total cash value of the fraud has yet to be determined.
Lowery said that it’s common for identity thieves to sell a service as a pretext to gain access to private information, but this was the first case he’s seen where an alleged fraudster used the BP claims process as a cover.
"It’s a new spin on an old trade, unfortunately," he said
