A Chula Vista man and an associate who fled to Mexico both pleaded guilty Feb. 19 to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and computer hacking into a mortgage lender with losses over $1 million to 250 victims.
Jason Ray Bailey and John Gordon Baden, both 38, will be sentenced May 8 before U.S. District Court Judge Gonzalo Curiel. Bailey, of Chula Vista, faces 35 years in federal prison and Baden could get 95 years.
Baden, who fled to Mexico, also pleaded guilty to three counts of committing wire fraud in purchases at Walmart stores in Chula Vista and National City by using other people’s credit cards. Court records say he unlawfully purchased electronic goods at Walmart and a laptop and iPad from the Apple store in Chula Vista.
A third man, Victor Alejandro Fernandez, 38, will get a trial date set on April 3. Fernandez, who has pleaded not guilty, remains free on a $100,000 property bond with conditions that he live with family members in Mammoth Lakes, Calif.
Both Bailey and Baden remain in the Metropolitan Correctional Center without bail. Bailey was arrested a year ago, but Baden was apprehended on Nov. 4, 2014, in Mexico.
The U.S. Attorney’s office says the trio hacked the computer servers of an unnamed mortgage broker and obtained mortgage applications containing customers’ social security numbers, dates of birth, addresses, assets, tax information and driver’s licenses.
Approximately 4,200 customers had their information stolen between July, 2011 and June 2013. Their information was used to impersonate them, such as opening credit lines in their names to try and steal their assets.
The losses to customers are estimated in court documents as ranging from $1 million to $2.5 million.
