Last of five to be convicted
ALBANY – A case that started with Bethlehem detectives breaking a SEFCU fraud ring in Slingerlands and Glenmont concluded Monday, July 22 in Federal Court with a Queensbury man pleading guilty to bank fraud and identity theft.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s office in Albany, Evan Cutler, 25, formally of Menands, admitted that between February and October 2022, he organized a conspiracy to defraud SEFCU by, among other things, applying for loans using stolen identities of other people, and withdrawing the loaned money in cash.
Cutler also admitted he and other members of the conspiracy applied for loans in other people’s names using fake New York driver licenses with their photographs but bearing the names and dates of birth of other people, and the proceeds were given to co-conspirator Allahson Allah, 53 of Albany. The conspirators also obtained customer account information from Caeshara Cannon, 34, of Albany, a former Member Service Manager at SEFCU, and used that information to create counterfeit checks, which were presented for negotiation at SEFCU branches.
On October 13, 2022, employees at the SEFCU branch at 12 Vista Blvd in Slingerlands called police to report a man was attempting to use fraudulent identification to withdraw $20,000 from the credit union. Police arrested Davon Parson, 21, of Albany, from inside the credit union. At the same time, they stopped Cutler in the parking lot for driving without a license in an uninsured vehicle.
Once the two were in custody, Bethlehem police said they started to piece together a larger scheme, with the assistance of SEFCU Fraud Prevention, that involved two additional people. Dnauticah Taylor-Sterman, 22, of Menands, had applied and received a loan a week before under a name she allegedly received from Cannon.
According to police records, they created supporting documentation after obtaining the identities of SEFCU customers from Cannon. They would then apply for and receive approval for personal loans, receiving cash in the transactions. Police said the first of several transactions began when Parson and Cutler allegedly cashed a $9,000 check at the Glenmont branch in August.
Cannon, Allahm, Parsons and Taylor-Sterman all pled guilty and will be sentenced in Federal court. Cutler is facing 2 to 32 years in prison when he is sentenced in November.
Story Timeline:
- August 13, 2022 – Parson and Cutler allegedly cash a $9,000 check at the SEFCU Glenmont branch against the funds of a SEFCU customer with information provided by branch employee Cannon.
September 21 – Cutler applies for and is approved for a fraudulent personal loan of $25,000 at SEFCU with the information of a male SEFCU customer received from Cannon using a fake NY driver’s license. - October 7, 2022 – Taylor-Sterman applies for and is approved for a $25,000 personal loan at a SEFCU branch with the information of a female SEFCU customer received from Cannon using a fake NY driver’s license. Taylor-Sterman withdrew $5,000 immediately from the new account and returned with her boyfriend, Cutler, to withdraw the remaining $20,000.
- October 13, 2022 – Bethlehem police were called to the SEFCU Slingerlands branch to investigate Parsons attempting to withdraw $20,000 from the branch using a fake NY ID Card of another Male. Cutler, who was driving Parsons, was stopped trying to flee in a vehicle by police in the parking lot, gave officers a fake name because he had no license due to DWAI conviction. The vehicle also had no insurance.
Parsons and Cutler are arrested. Parsons has three outstanding warrants from Warren County. - October 14, 2022 – Bethlehem police interview Cannon and execute a search warrant at her residence. Police find a defaced and loaded handgun, cash and a large amount of concentrated cannabis and cannabis packaged for sale. She was arrested for the identity theft charges, but the Albany County Sheriff’s office is investigating the weapon and drug charges.
- October 21, 2022 – More victims have come forward and further charges are expected. The total money stolen exceeded $100,000.
- November 28, 2022 – Cannon is arrested on weapons charges.
- November 30, 2022 – Bethlehem police report the case has been referred to the US Attorney’s Office.
- September 14, 2023 – Cannon pled guilty to Federal charges.
- January 18, 2024 – Parson and Taylor-Sterman pled guilty to Federal charges.
- June 17, 2024 – Allah pled guilty to Federal charges.
- July 22, 2024 – Cutler is the last defendant to plead guilty to Federal charges.
