Dist. Ct. did not err in sentencing defendant to 120-month term of incarceration on wire fraud charge stemming from scheme in which defendant created false profiles on legitimate Internet dating services, and then, after developing relationship with older victims, persuaded said victims to transfer money to bank accounts controlled by defendant and others. Record showed that 21 victims lost $2.2 million, and some victims gave statements indicating that they lost entire retirement accounts to said scheme. Dist. Ct. could properly impose two-level vulnerable-victim enhancement under section 3A1.1(b)(1) of USSG, where elderly victims typically qualify as vulnerable victims, and instant victims demonstrated lack of sophistication and experienced personal loss. Moreover, Dist. Ct. could properly exceed sentencing guidelines by approximately two years given amount of loss and evidence that defendant had targeted instant victims. Fact that defendant was likely to be deported following service of her sentence did not require different result.
Federal 7th Circuit Court
Criminal Court
Sentencing