Mystery man sentenced in Idaho court for 25-year identity theft scheme
POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI) — An unidentified man will spend half a decade behind bars after prosecutors say he spent a quarter-century living under the stolen identity of a dead child and stole nearly $285,000 in government benefits.
U.S. District Judge David C. Nye sentenced the "John Doe"—whose real identity remains unknown—to 61 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced today. Judge Nye also ordered the defendant to pay $283,977.40 in restitution.
The sentencing follows a May 2026 federal trial in Pocatello where a jury found the man guilty of wire fraud, theft of government funds, aggravated identity theft, and related federal charges.
According to court records, the man’s scheme began in 2000 when he applied for a replacement Social Security card using the name, birth date, and parents' names of Carlos Ramon Obregon.
The real Obregon was born in Los Angeles in 1963 and died at age 14 from a gunshot wound in 1977. During the trial, Obregon’s mother testified that her son had died nearly 50 years ago and confirmed she had never met the defendant.
Over the course of nearly three decades, investigators say the unknown man repeatedly used Obregon's identity to acquire Idaho state identification cards, a Star Card, and a U.S. passport in 2012, which he used to travel to Mexico before being denied a renewal in 2024.
In addition to the identity fraud, prosecutors say over 25 years, the "John Doe" siphoned off $283,977 in federal and state assistance, including $177,000 in Supplemental Security Income (SSI), $91,000 in Medicaid benefits, $12,000 in SNAP food assistance, and $3,200 in federal Economic Impact Payments.
“Taxpayer funds are precious resources, and our office will fight to vigorously protect such funds,” U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis said. “This sentence should send a strong message that stealing taxpayer funds and craven identity theft will be met with a thorough federal investigation and a stiff sentence.”
