Oaklyn man gets 27-month term for identity theft

An Oaklyn man was sentenced yesterday to 27 months in federal prison for stealing identities to swindle nine banks.

Joseph DeForge, 65, also was ordered by U.S. District Judge Jerome B. Simandle to pay $171,259 in restitution and to serve three years of supervised release. The judge allowed DeForge to remain free on $50,000 bail pending his surrender to officials by March 15.

On June 9, DeForge pleaded guilty to bank fraud under an agreement with prosecutors. At that time, he admitted that he used names, birth dates, and Social Security numbers of others to obtain credit cards that he had sent to his home. He then used the cards for cash advances and expensive purchases from June 1999 until December 2008, authorities said. - Barbara Boyer