Real Estate Appraiser Sentenced to 5 Years for Identity Theft

A former real estate appraiser has been sentenced to 5 years in prison for his role in an
identity theft scheme, after obtaining nearly $700,000 in mortgage loans by stealing the identity
of a military veteran.

Judge Michael Toomin, sentenced Walter Jackson, 33 of 10114 S. Malta St., Chicago, this week
after he and a co-defendant, were found guilty in August of multiple counts of financial identity
theft, theft by deception and forgery, after they stole the identity of a 20-year Air Force veteran
and acquired fraudulent mortgage loans in his name.  The victim, a Florida resident, contacted
authorities after he was served with foreclosure papers in his home state.

On September 30, 2002, Jackson sold his house at 9713 S. Prospect Ave., Chicago, to his
co-defendant Antwon Tillman. Tillman secured a $285,000 mortgage loan for the house using
the victim’s stolen identity. Jackson eventually leased the house to a family and their eight
children.  When Jackson failed to make payments on the loan, the home went into foreclosure.
Jackson continued to collect payments from the family after foreclosure proceedings began.

In October 2002, Jackson and Tillman used the identity of the same victim to purchase a newly constructed house for $385,000 in south suburban Richton Park.  Jackson lived in that residence
for nearly 1 1/2 years before foreclosure.

Jackson was sentenced Thursday.  Judge Toomin will sentence Tillman on September 19.

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