Georgia Thief Sentenced To Prison For Sampson County Identity Theft And Wire Fraud

RALEIGH, N.C. – A federal judge sentenced Roderick Michael Bates, 56, to over 4 years in federal prison. He pleaded guilty to identity theft and wire fraud for stealing from a local farm machinery and equipment business in Salemburg.

Bates used stolen identities with fake driver’s licenses to secure financing for farm machinery and equipment from a local Sampson County business. Using these identities, he fraudulently purchased high-value items totaling more than $65,000, including a zero-turn mower, an Evolution D5 Ranger golf cart, and 12-foot and 16-foot dump trailers. He then had the business ship the items to him hundreds of miles away, outside the state of North Carolina. The law enforcement officers arrested him during the delivery and recovered the stolen equipment.

“This Georgia criminal chose poorly coming up here to steal from a local business in Sampson County,” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle. “Let this be a message to out-of-state criminals who think they can swindle the good people of the Eastern District of NC. We will find you, no matter where you are, and put you behind bars. Cheaters.Never.Win.”

Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. The Sampson County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI collaborated on this investigation.