Four defendants accused of traveling across multiple states to steal wallets from hospitals and universities and then rack up hundreds of thousands of dollars in fraudulent purchases have pleaded guilty in federal court in Lexington, abandoning plans for a February jury trial.
The case, filed last spring in the Eastern District of Kentucky, alleged that the defendants targeted victims inside public buildings — including medical centers and college campuses — stealing debit and credit cards and the personal information needed to continue spending after the initial theft.
Ivory Joe Pruitt, Yoshi Keori Williams, Tashawn Shamal Canegata and Daniel Rashaud Sanchious each appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Matthew A. Stinnett on Jan. 28 and asked to change their pleas, according to court records. The magistrate judge has since recommended that the district court accept the guilty pleas and order forfeiture tied to the proceeds of the scheme.
A fifth defendant, Kellie Marie Miller, is scheduled for a rearraignment hearing Feb. 2.
A multi-state theft and fraud operation
Prosecutors say the conspiracy ran from about August 2022 through May 2024 and involved the five defendants and others working together to steal wallets and use the contents to make fraudulent purchases across the South and Midwest.
According to court filings, members of the group rented vehicles and traveled through states including Florida, Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, Kentucky, Tennessee, Louisiana and Mississippi. Prosecutors say they entered hospitals and university buildings and stole wallets from at least 30 people.
After the thefts, conspirators allegedly used the stolen debit and credit cards at nearby retailers to buy merchandise, running up at least $180,000 in charges. In some cases, prosecutors say, the group used stolen personal identifying information to open new membership or retail accounts, allowing them to continue making purchases even after cards were flagged or shut down.
Court records describe repeated theft-and-purchase cycles, with cards and identity information passed among defendants as they moved from city to city. In several instances, prosecutors say stolen cards were used within hours of the theft, often at big-box retailers, convenience stores and warehouse clubs.
Guilty pleas and potential penalties
Pruitt pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. His plea agreement lists a maximum penalty of up to 20 years in prison, a substantial fine, and up to three years of supervised release, along with mandatory restitution and forfeiture tied to the proceeds of the scheme.
The agreement also leaves open a dispute over whether Pruitt should be considered an organizer or leader of the criminal activity — a designation that could increase his recommended sentencing range — while acknowledging that the loss amount exceeded $150,000 and that the scheme involved 10 or more victims.
Williams pleaded guilty to two counts, including conspiracy and aggravated identity theft. Sanchious and Canegata each pleaded guilty to the conspiracy charge. All four were remanded to custody pending preparation of presentence investigation reports.
The case had originally been set for trial in July 2025, then was declared complex and continued twice — first to November 2025 and later to Feb. 23, 2026. With the guilty pleas, the court canceled the February trial dates for the defendants who have changed their pleas.
Sentencing dates have not yet been set.