by Maxi Malone

“It’s like I’ve been released from prison…

…says Tom Lesh of Coos Bay, Oregon. This all came about when his brother was drinking with a friend and the man moaned that he had drunk driving charges in California and needed a new identity.

It wasn’t long before the company personnel department informed Lesh that someone was using his Social Security number.

The nightmare had begun … the IRS tried to get him to pay $10,000 in back taxes that he didn’t owe; he was denied a car loan because of bad debt incurred in his name; bankruptcy was filed in his name, and on and on. Lesh said he knew all along that his brother’s friend has stolen his identity.

Tom Lesh spent thousands of hours writing letters to credit card companies, banks, insurance companies and government agencies trying to clear his name. No one would listen until this year an insurance fraud investigator took up the case and passed it on to  the Social Security Administration. Special Agent, Matt Lavelle, tracked down suspect Clark Mower and arrested him.

Here’s what really bothers me in all this. After years of suffering to Mr. Lesh and his family the identity thief faces only a minimum sentence of two years in prison and up to  five years if convicted. He was released Thursday on electric home monitoring pending trial.

I just have to ask. How would you feel in his shoes? What do you think of this sentence?

May Your Glass Always Be Half Full

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