Michigan identity theft victims were in assisted living
 

Kenyan immigrant pleads no contest in identity theft case: authorities say victims were residents of assisted living homes
mlive.com
May 7, 2010
http://www.mlive.com/news/jackson/in...ds_no_con.html

A 30-year-old Kenyan immigrant pleaded no contest Friday to two charges of possession of “personal identification information” to commit identity theft.

Blackman Township Public Safety Officer Chris Pohl arrested Philip Githuku Macharia Oct. 5 after Pohl found credit cards, copies of driver licenses, Social Security, and insurance cards or other information in a laptop computer bag, Director Mike Jester earlier said.

Pohl had stopped Macharia on I-94, found Macharia had an outstanding warrant, and, with his consent, searched the rented vehicle he was driving.

The information belonged to several people who stayed in Grandhaven Living Center, an assisted living facility in Lansing, and had medical conditions that prevented them from making decisions for themselves. Authorities believe Macharia may have gotten access by knowing an employee or employees there, Assistant Prosecutor Jared Hopkins said.

Macharia pleaded no contest to two of six counts of the possession of personal information charge, a felony with a maximum penalty of five years in prison. The Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office is dismissing the other charges.

Hopkins said two of the victims have died, and tracking down all the relevant people to speak on behalf of their estates and the other victims could be difficult if the case were to proceed to trial.

Circuit Judge Thomas Wilson is to sentence Macharia June 24.

His lawyer, Alfred Brandt, said Macharia has a green card, but could be deported as a result of the convictions. There will be an immigration hearing, Brandt said.

At the time of his arrest, Macharia had an Inkster address and said he was on his way to Wixom from an out-of-state baby shower, police said.