A Bronx resident, Michael Herrera, 45, has pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo in Buffalo, New York. Herrera entered his plea before U.S. Magistrate Judge H. Kenneth Schroeder, Jr., admitting to crimes that carry a potential sentence of up to 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine.
According to Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul E. Bonanno, the case centers on events beginning in January 2025 when Vance Ashley, a co-conspirator from Bridgeport, Connecticut, was recruited by members of the group to impersonate other individuals and make unauthorized withdrawals from their bank accounts in exchange for payment.
Between January 28 and February 3, 2025, Ashley traveled with Herrera and two other co-conspirators to various bank branches located in Wilmington, Delaware; Liberty, New York; and Lock Haven, Pennsylvania. During these trips, Ashley used stolen identifications to withdraw or attempt to withdraw funds from victims’ accounts.
On February 5, 2025, the group went to a Northwest Bank branch in Lockport within the Western District of New York. There, Ashley withdrew money without authorization from an account belonging to an Erie, Pennsylvania resident and purchased a bank check using those funds. Later that day at another Northwest Bank branch in Williamsville—also within the Western District—Ashley again made an unauthorized withdrawal and bought a bank check using funds from another victim’s account based in North East Pennsylvania. On the same day, Herrera unlawfully used someone else’s identification during the commission of a felony.
The investigation determined that the total financial loss—including both actual losses and intended losses—amounted to $91,300.
Ashley has already been convicted in connection with this scheme and is awaiting sentencing.
The investigation was conducted by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Division under Special Agent-in-Charge Harry Chavis and Homeland Security Investigations led by Special Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan.
Sentencing for Herrera will be scheduled at a later date.
