Troy resident pleads guilty to role in nationwide ‘Felony Lane Gang’ conspiracy
Terrell McDonald, 32, of Troy, pleaded guilty this week in federal court in Syracuse to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft, announced United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; Michael J. Driscoll, Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); and Putnam County Sheriff Kevin J. McConville.
In pleading guilty, McDonald, whose aliases include “Ruger” and “Moon,” admitted that he was involved in a fraud scheme known as “Felony Lane Gang” between 2018 and Sept. 2020. McDonald and his co-conspirators traveled across the country breaking into cars, often targeting those parked by women at locations such as health and fitness centers, daycares, outdoor recreational parks, and dog parks.
After committing these “smash-and-grab” vehicle thefts, officials said McDonald and other members of the conspiracy used stolen debit cards, credit cards, checkbooks, and photo identifications to commit bank fraud by recruiting women who impersonated the smash-andgrab victims in drive-through bank lanes to withdraw money and cash checks. The recruited check cashers were almost always suffering from an addiction to controlled substances and were provided payment at least partially in narcotics. McDonald admitted that the loss amount from the conspiracy attributable to him is between $95,000 and $150,000.
The charges to which McDonald pleaded guilty carry a minimum sentence of two years in prison and a maximum sentence of 30 years, a fine of up to $1 million, and a supervised release term of up to five years. McDonald will be sentenced on Oct. 27, 2022, by Senior United States District Judge Norman A. Mordue. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.
McDonald was one of nine men charged in a 13-count indictment for their roles in the scheme. Keyshawn Arnold, 25, of Schenectady, New York, and Tyrone Parker, 40, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, previously pled guilty for their roles in the indictment. The remaining codefendants are:
Each of these defendants is charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft.