Convicted St. Paul identity thief now a fugitive

A defendant with a long rap sheet was not in federal court Thursday to hear jurors in St. Paul declare him guilty of being part of a large identity-theft operation. He skipped out days earlier, leaving authorities to turn to the public for help finding him.

Gordon L. Moore, 41, put up an unsecured bond of $25,000 in November to back up his promise to hang around for all court proceedings, but he hasn't been seen since about halfway through his eight-day trial, U.S. attorney's office spokeswoman Jeanne Cooney said.

In announcing the conviction, the U.S. attorney's office in Minneapolis said it wants anyone with information about Moore's whereabouts to contact the U.S. Marshals Service at 612-664-5900 or usms.wanted@usdoj.gov.

An unsecured bond means that Moore did not have to pay money upfront for his release, but he's on the hook for the amount now that he's AWOL.

Moore was not subject to a curfew or any form of home detention, according to court records outlining his conditions for release while his case was being prosecuted.

Federal authorities have yet to release a description of Moore or his photograph. They did not say whether he's a danger to the public.

Moore's criminal history in Minnesota includes felony convictions for aggravated robbery, drug possession, illegal weapons possession and assault with a dangerous weapon.

Messages were left with his attorney, James R. Behrenbrinker, seeking comment.

Following Moore's trial, the jury convicted him of one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and two counts of aggravated identity theft.

The thieves' take was at least $2 million and operated in many states throughout the Midwest and a handful in the South, prosecutors alleged.

According to the evidence presented at trial:

Moore and the others stole the personal information of other people through mail, vehicle break-ins and burglaries, as well as from co-conspirators who stole the information from their workplaces. That information was used to create false identification documents, such as driver's licenses and ID cards, along with counterfeit checks.

The counterfeit checks were deposited into bank accounts of unsuspecting people. The money would then soon be withdrawn.

Co-defendants Shanell C. Brewer and Samantha C. House pleaded guilty this month to participating in the scheme. In February, Jerome Davis Jr. and Jemall R. Williams also pleaded guilty.

The newly convicted defendants face a maximum potential penalty of 30 years in prison for conspiracy to commit bank fraud and a mandatory minimum consecutive penalty of two years in prison on each count of identity theft. Sentencing has yet to be scheduled. Moore, if found and convicted of fleeing, would also face additional prison time.

Four others in September were convicted by jurors for their roles in the same identity-theft ring, while an additional 24 have pleaded guilty. They have yet to be sentenced.