Two plead guilty to federal identity theft charges

Two Poplar Bluff, Mo., residents face up to 20 years in prison on felony charges involving identity theft in Cape Girardeau and Perry counties.

William C. Taylor, and Danielle Lynn Luck, on Friday each pleaded guilty to one felony count of conspiracy to commit identity theft and one felony count of conspiracy to use a counterfeit debit card for acts that occurred between March 2009 and January of 2010, according to the federal prosecutor's office.

They appeared before United States District Judge Stephen N. Limbaugh, Jr.

Taylor and Luck used counterfeit debit cards to obtain goods and services from several merchants in Southeast Missouri by using the actual account numbers for at least 49 different individual account holders of Montgomery Bank in Sikeston, Mo., and the First Missouri State Bank in Poplar Bluff, according to the federal prosecutor's office. Taylor and Luck obtained goods and services that exceeded $30,000 in value.

Each faces a maximum of 15 years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine for the first count, and a maximum of five years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine for the second count. Sentencing has been set for April 19.