United States Attorney Mary Beth Buchanan announced today, June 13, 2008, that on June 12, 2008, Victor Morgan, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court in Pittsburgh to one conspiracy to pass counterfeit credit cards.

Morgan, age 44, pleaded guilty to one count before Senior United States District Judge Alan N. Bloch.

In connection with the guilty plea, Assistant United States Attorney Gregory C. Melucci advised the court that Morgan conspired with another person to pass counterfeit credit cards at retail stores, including Charles Spiegel, Biketek and Little's Shoes, in Pittsburgh in October and November of 2007, and that Morgan also attempted to pass counterfeit credit cards at Monroeville stores during the same time period. The defendant and government stipulated that the losses from the use of the counterfeit cards ranges between $5,000 and $10,000.

Judge Bloch scheduled sentencing for Tuesday, September 2, 2008. The law provides for a total sentence of five years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both.  Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

The Financial Crimes Task Force of Southwestern Pennsylvania and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Morgan.  The Financial Crimes Task Force of Southwestern Pennsylvania is comprised of United States Postal Inspectors, Special Agents of the United States Secret Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Investigators from the Allegheny County District Attorney's Office, and Detectives from Allegheny County and the City of Pittsburgh.