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Pinellas woman pleads guilty in identity theft case that already sent mom to prison

 
Published March 4, 2015

TAMPA — Bernadette Demps-Jackson, 41, went to federal prison last year for her role in a stolen identity tax refund fraud scheme.

On Wednesday, her daughter agreed to join her.

Makaeia Demps, 25, of Palm Harbor, pleaded guilty to aggravated identity theft, the same charge that landed her Gibsonton mother a mandatory two-year sentence.

Demps, who will be sentenced later this year, admits in a signed plea agreement to cashing and spending proceeds of tax fraud.

One victim was a 99-year-old nursing home resident, the agreement states.

Former certified nursing assistant Carlos Oscar Johnson, who pleaded guilty in a related case to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, is serving an eight-year sentence.

He was ordered to pay restitution of $431,625. Demps-Jackson was ordered to pay $34,152. Federal prosecutors are seeking $60,585 from Demps.

The cases were investigated by Clearwater Police and IRS Criminal Investigation.

Contact Patty Ryan at (813) 226-3382 or pryan@tampabay.com