9 charged in local identity fraud scheme
It all started in February when Hilliard police began investigating the goings-on at house nestled on the 3600 block of Sparrow Court.
It has ended with as many as 3,000 possible victims and nine people charged with multiple crimes, most of them for racketeering. Three of the suspects are father and sons.
Hilliard police said they began investigating the more than $600,000 home on Sparrow Court early this year after receiving complaints about the amount of traffic going to and from the 4,226square-foot house, which was built in 2017 and operated as a rental property.
A search warrant was executed in early March at the home, where Hilliard police found nearly $90,000 in cash, more than 20 pounds of marijuana, a money counter and numerous other drug paraphernalia. Investigators also discovered the home was being rented under a false name.
That led Hilliard police to become involved with other law enforcement agencies across central Ohio and the U.S. Postal Service.
Authorities believe the suspects took checks and personal information from mail stolen from postal bins. That information was then used to create false identities so they could purchase vehicles under fake names, rent homes under aliases, cash checks and more.
Among the stolen mail were federal stimulus checks, income tax refunds and personal gifts, such as birthday presents.
The whole plot was to help advance the drug-trafficking activities of the suspects, investigators say.
In all, Hilliard police said seven search warrants were executed between March and June at addresses across the region. Police seized more than 90 pounds of marijuana, 11 firearms and more than $265,000 in cash with those search warrants.
The homes that were searched were in Hilliard ,Gahanna and on Columbus’ West, East, South and Northeast sides.
In addition to facing charges in Franklin County, two of the defendants face additional charges in U.S. District Court in Columbus. Additional federal charges could be filed against others involved in the alleged scheme.
Those charged in Franklin County are: Donald Jordan, 57, of the Northeast Side, and two sons, 33-year-old Dominic Jordan, of the East Side and 21-yearold Damonte Jordan, of the East Side; Victor Harvison Jr., 34, of the Far West Side; Tommy Edwards Jr., 29, of the South Side; Kiara Mitchell, 30, of Hilliard; Tierra Donald, 35, of the Southeast Side; Ajah Hamilton, 21, of the Northeast Side, and Lante Hughes, 22, of the Northeast Side.
Donald and Dominic Jordan, Harvison, Edwards and Mitchell all face racketeering charges, as well as multiple additional charges including identity theft and forgery.
Donald, Hamilton, Hughes and Damonte Jordan all face drug trafficking charges.
Edwards and Hamilton are currently incarcerated at the Franklin County jail. A warrant has been issued for Harvison’s arrest.
Donald and Dominic Jordan, Mitchell, and Hughes are all free on bond, according to court records. Damonte Jordan has been issued a summons to appear in court to face his indictment charges. bbruner@dispatch.com @bethany_bruner