Stephanie Perez, a 40-year-old resident of Bridgeport, has been sentenced to 14 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release. The sentencing was handed down by U.S. District Judge Janet C. Hall in New Haven for her involvement in a multistate identity theft and vehicle theft scheme. The scheme defrauded individuals and businesses out of over $1 million.
Court documents reveal that Perez participated in the operation led by her husband, Tyshon Walker. Starting in September 2020, Walker used stolen personal information from residents across several states to apply for vehicle loans at dealerships located in Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Rhode Island. These loans were for luxury vehicles, motorcycles, an all-terrain vehicle, and a boat. After securing the loans with the victims' identities, Walker sent "runners" equipped with fake driver's licenses to collect the vehicles. The vehicles were then transported back to Connecticut for resale on Facebook Marketplace.
Perez's role included selecting coconspirators like Ryan Testa as runners and paying them to acquire vehicles. She also picked up the vehicles once they returned to Connecticut. Perez began supervising Testa after two other runners were arrested and charged with related offenses. Between March and May 2023, under Perez and Walker's direction, Testa acquired at least nine vehicles valued at more than $500,000 using stolen identities.
Perez was arrested on April 10, 2024, and pleaded guilty on December 6, 2024, to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud.
Walker and Testa have also pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing.
The investigation involved multiple law enforcement agencies including the FBI’s New Haven Safe Streets/Gang Task Force along with police departments from Bridgeport; Hopkinton (R.I.), Westtown – East Goshen Regional (Pa.), and Washington Township (N.J.). Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren C. Clark and Heather M. Cherry are prosecuting the case.