Source: Office of United States Attorneys
Baltimore, Maryland – Today, United States District Judge Stephanie A. Gallagher sentenced Llyod Linwood Comer, 63, of Brandywine, Maryland, to 41 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release — with the first seven months on home detention — for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud, passport fraud, identity theft, and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Acting Assistant Director of Investigations Joseph Jung, U.S. Department of State, Diplomatic Security Service (DSS), and Special Agent in Charge Colleen Lawlor, Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General (SSA-OIG) – Philadelphia Field Division.
According to Comer’s guilty plea, from 2019 to 2021, Comer and his co-conspirator, Doreen Gilmore, aka Doreen Flummerfelt, 57, conspired to engage in a series of fraudulent schemes involving stolen identities. The defendants used the names and identifying information of victims to purchase vehicles, and open or attempt to open, bank accounts and obtain bank cards.
Vehicles that the defendants acquired by using stolen identities included a 2017 Ford Explorer, fraudulently financed in the amount of $34,710; a Harley-Davidson motorcycle, fraudulently financed in the amount of $20,320; a second 2016 Harley Davidson motorcycle, fraudulently financed in the amount of $29,612; and a 2017 Coachmen Leprechaun RV fraudulently financed in the amount of $60,250. Comer and Gilmore also submitted a mortgage application in Gilmore’s mother’s name, in the amount of $433,200, to purchase a residence in Brandywine, Maryland.
Comer and Gilmore sent multiple iterations of the loan application document to the lender over a few weeks, and sent a final, signed application of the loan on May 26, 2020. They eventually secured a loan, based on the application, to purchase the home in Brandywine. Ultimately, the lender approved the loan, relying on the false and fraudulent information and documents that Comer and Gilmore submitted.
In addition, Comer obtained a fraudulent United States passport by using identifying information from Gilmore’s deceased brother. Then on December 13, 2019, Comer used the fraudulently obtained passport to travel to Jamaica for a weeding.
On June 1, 2021, law-enforcement agencies executed a federal search warrant at the Brandywine residence. During the search, authorities found numerous identification-related documents bearing the names, Social Security numbers, dates of birth, and/or other identifying information belonging to various victims. Among other items, authorities found identity documents bearing identification information from Gilmore’s mother and various victims in the residence.
During the June 1 search, law-enforcement agents also recovered 13 firearms and more than 6,600 rounds of ammunition. Comer knowingly possessed the firearms and ammunition. Authorities proved Comer possessed the firearms and ammunition through digital videos on electronic devices that they recovered during the search.
Videos show Comer holding and apparently firing some of the firearms at the Brandywine residence. The firearms and ammunition were “firearms” and “ammunition” as defined by federal law and were manufactured outside the state of Maryland. Prior to possessing the firearms and ammunition on June 1, Comer was convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year, his civil rights had not been restored, and he knew this status when he possessed the firearms and ammunition.
Gilmore was previously sentenced to time served followed by three years of supervised release for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud, passport fraud, and identity theft. The court also ordered the defendants to pay $52,355 in restitution to various victim businesses.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended DSS and SSA-OIG for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael C. Hanlon who prosecuted the case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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