A Columbus man could spend up to 40 years in prison for multiple counts of fraudulent use of identity and a drug charge.
Kenneth Lamar Blakeney, 38, pleaded guilty to one felony count of identity theft, four felony counts of fraudulent use of identity and one count of the sale of methamphetamine in Chickasaw County Circuit Court Wednesday, according to a press release from the state Attorney General’s Office.
The press release said Blakeney spent two months between November 2017 and January 2018 converting multiple people’s personal information into credit cards, online checking accounts and “other financial instruments” while on parole for drug crimes. He had previously been indicted for selling methamphetamine to an undercover Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics agent.
“This repeat criminal landed exactly where he deserves to spend the next 40 years,” said Attorney General Jim Hood, who added the sentence was a result of multiple agencies working together.
Blakeney will also serve five years of post-release supervision and pay court costs.
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