U.S. District Judge Audrey G. Fleissig has sentenced James E. McGhaney to 75 months in prison for his involvement in a rental car theft scheme. McGhaney, a New York City resident, also faces an order to repay $938,963. He was part of a group that participated in a nationwide operation resulting in the theft of $1.17 million worth of luxury rental cars.
The operation involved McGhaney overseeing accomplices who obtained rental cars using fraudulent driver's licenses and counterfeit credit cards. These vehicles were reserved with stolen identities, implicating at least 23 victims and resulting in the theft of 19 cars. Eight people, including McGhaney, have pled guilty in connection to the case.
Tyrell A. Oliver of Atlanta, Georgia, was identified as the scheme's organizer. Oliver received a 90-month prison sentence in February following a guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, along with multiple counts of wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. McGhaney admitted to one conspiracy count and three wire fraud counts.
Other defendants have also been sentenced. Rashad Holder, of New York, received a 65-month sentence and was ordered to repay $581,711. Steven B. Matthews, another Atlanta resident, received a 24-month sentence with restitution of $107,072. Reginald M. Glenn faces a 13-month sentence, while Marlique J. McGhaney was sentenced to a year and a day in prison, with $237,447 repayment. Daquasia M. Robinson received five years of probation with $119,805 restitution. Shawnta B. Fonseca, who is scheduled to be sentenced in April, along with Glenn, Marlique McGhaney, and Robinson, are all New York residents.
The FBI investigated this case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Clow is handling the prosecution.