Anchorage Woman Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison for Wire Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft

November 10, 2026

Dusty Starr of Anchorage was sentenced on November 10, 2026, to 5 years in prison for wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, followed by 5 years of supervised release. The court also ordered restitution to the victims. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Alaska announced the sentence that day.

According to the office, court documents say that between February 2021 and February 2022 Starr carried out a scheme involving mail theft, identity theft, fraudulent email and financial accounts, forged checks, and false applications for COVID rental relief funds. The office said she possessed more than 170 stolen identities, that the total estimated loss was more than $71,000, that an Alaska rental-assistance agency disbursed $47,550 on nine fraudulent applications, and that forged checks on accounts of several Alaska Native corporations caused losses of more than $24,000.

The U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Anchorage Police Department investigated the case, with assistance from the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Steward prosecuted it.

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