August 21, 2009 Media Contact: Jenn Meale Phone: (850) 245-0150

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TALLAHASSEE, FL — Attorney General Bill McCollum today announced a Lee County woman was convicted for identity theft and scheming to defraud. Lotonyo Lyons could face up to 20 years in prison when she is sentenced in October. She was prosecuted by the Attorney General’s Office of Statewide Prosecution.

Lyons, 27, was arrested in July 2007 after investigators with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement discovered that she participated in a scheme to defraud the Publix Employees Federal Credit Union out of thousands of dollars. Lyons and her accomplices deposited fraudulent checks into several accounts, created a fraudulent account in the name of a victim whose identity was stolen, and made hundreds of purchases through the use of debit cards.

Lyons, who has previously been convicted of fraud, was convicted of scheme to defraud under $20,000 and fraudulent use of personal identification, $5,000 or more. A Lee County jury returned the guilty verdict late Thursday night. Her co-defendants have all previously pleaded guilty and are currently serving their sentences or awaiting sentencing.