PORTLAND, Maine — A man from New Hampshire pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Portland on Monday to wire fraud and identity theft in a scheme across multiple New England states.
Dominic Barbosa (also known as Christopher Barnhart), 29, of Manchester, New Hampshire stole mail in Maine, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire, including "bank account statements, tax returns, and other documents containing others’ means of identification" from at least March 2019 until March 2022, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Maine.
Barbosa used the information to apply for duplicate licenses, open bank and credit card accounts, open other lines of credit, and enter into contracts, according to the release.
"When questioned by a United States Postal Inspector, Barbosa stated he had a cloud database with stolen identities, and investigators in Massachusetts found bins of mail and photocopies of identifying information in a storage unit Barbosa rented," the release stated.
He now faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 or double the gain or loss on one count of wire fraud, the release stated. Barbosa faces a minimum of two years and a $250,000 fine for aggravated identity theft.
The case was investigated by the Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles, South Berwick Police Department, Litchfield Police Department in New Hampshire, North Reading Police Department in Massachusetts, Salem Police Department in New Hampshire, and the USPS.
