ATLANTA (AP) An Atlanta man is going to federal prison for his conviction as part of a check-cashing ring accused of stealing hundreds of thousands dollars from banks across the Southeast.
Federal prosecutors say a judge sentenced 32-year-old Ryan Sylvestre of Atlanta to three years, nine months in prison. Jurors convicted him in December of bank fraud conspiracy, bank fraud and aggravated identity theft.
A statement issued Tuesday by U.S. Attorney John Horn says Sylvestre - also known by the names Fly and Nature - and others stole hundreds of thousands of dollars from financial institutions across the Southeast in 2013.
Prosecutors say Sylvestre personally recruited women to help with the scheme. They allegedly cashed forged check at various banks in Georgia, Virginia, North Carolina, Florida and other places.
Three more people entered guilty pleas in the scheme last year, including April M. Hayes, 24, of Braselton. Horn's office says Hayes pleaded guilty to aggravated identity theft and bank fraud conspiracy on June 22, 2015.
AccessWDUN staff contributed to this story.
