James Pleads Guilty to Theft

(St. Louis, MO) A man from Hillsboro, 27 year old Austin James is admitting helping to defraud an elderly St. Louis woman out of more than $500,000.

James pled guilty in U.S. District Court to one felony count of identity theft. He admitted knowingly possessing or using, without lawful authority, a means of identification of another person to commit bank fraud and the financial exploitation of the elderly.

James admitted aiding Gino Rives in exploiting the 80-year-old victim, who had hired Rives sometime before Jan. 17, 2021 to repair her roof for $7,500. Rives falsely claimed to be a licensed contractor and the victim hired him to renovate the interior of her home.

James received eight checks totaling $94,606 between January 2021 and March 2023 for purportedly performing work on the victims, kitchen, bedroom, bathroom, basement and foundation. But he did not do the work for which he had been paid.

James is scheduled to be sentenced on August 14. The charge carries a penalty of up to 15 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both prison and a fine.