NEW ORLEANS, La. (KLFY) – A California man has been sentenced after conducting fraudulent purchases at Home Depots across multiple states, including Louisiana.
Jonathan Orpilla Sinlao, 38, of San Jose, Ca., was sentenced to 63 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for conspiracy to commit access device fraud, according to a Department of Justice U.S. Attorney’s Office Eastern District of Louisiana press release.
Judge Barry W. Ashe also imposed restitution to be paid by Sinlao in the amount of $340,164.49
According to the press release, Sinlao conspired with others to conduct approximately $340,164.49 in unauthorized purchases at Home Depot stores across the country using Citibank credit card numbers belonging to other people.
During the transactions, Sinlao used temporary charge passes containing his name and 16-digit credit card numbers belonging to other customers between February 2019 and July 2019, the press release said.
According to the press release, Sinlao did this at Home Depot stores in Louisiana, Florida, Arizona, California, New York, Texas and Oklahoma.
78 of those unauthorized transactions were captured on video and photographic evidence.
In April 2019, Sinlao was seen on video conducting two unauthorized transactions in Harahan, La., where he purchased a Home Depot gift card. He then sold the gift card to a pawn shop in Metairie, according to the press release.
In July 2019, after Sinlao attempted to conduct two unauthorized purchases using two different Home Depot credit card numbers not issued to him, authorities obtained a warrant to search his U-Haul. Inside, authorities found receipts for fraudulent purchases, Home Depot merchandise, and temporary charge passes with Sinlao’s name and 16-digit credit card numbers issued to other people.
The Department of Homeland Security, the Oklahoma City Police Department, and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office were all involved in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Maria Carboni handled the prosecution of this case.
