A Hawaii couple has been found guilty of conspiracy, passport fraud, and identity theft after living under the names of deceased infants for several decades, police say per Fox News.
The suspects, Bobby Fort and Julie Montague, appeared in court to receive the verdict on Monday. However, according to Assistant U.S. Attorney Tom Muehleck, the real Bobby Fort had passed away more than 50 years ago as an infant with a short-lived life due to illness. Tonda Montague Ferguson, a witness in the trial, testified that her sister, Julie Montague, had also died as an infant with birth defects shortly after birth in 1968. Both infants were buried in separate Texas cemeteries.
The couple, who had attended the same high school in Texas, had allegedly planned to change their identities due to their overwhelming debt. The husband even went as far as using his false identity to join the Coast Guard, prosecutors said.
The sentencing, scheduled for March, could result in a maximum prison term of 10 years for false passport applications, up to five years for conspiracy, and mandatory consecutive terms of two years for aggravated identity theft, reports note.
#Clique, what are your thoughts?
