MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO BANK FRAUD

ROCHESTER, N.Y.--Tony L. Smith, 24, of Rochester, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge David G. Larimer, to a felony charge of bank fraud, U.S. Attorney Terrance P. Flynn of the Western District of New York announced today. Bank fraud carries a maximum penalty of 30 years imprisonment, a fine of $1,000,000, or both.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany Lee, who handled the case, stated that the defendant organized a scheme to draft fraudulent checks and then directed accomplices to cash the false checks at numerous Chase Bank, HSBC Bank and ESL Federal Credit Union branches in the Rochester area.
The plea was the culmination of an investigation on the part of Special Agents of the United States Secret Service and the Monroe County Sheriff's Office.

Sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 14, at 10:30 a.m EST, in Rochester, N.Y., in front of U.S. District Judge David G. Larimer.