A woman convicted of stealing another’s identity and racking up hundreds of thousands of dollars in medical bills was sentenced to 8.5 years in prison.

Shannon Smith, 47, pleaded guilty to four counts of aggravated taking identity of another and one count of taking the identity of another, according to the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office.

Investigators said that Smith used the victims name and identity between September 2022 and March 2024 to obtain health care services totaling $300,000. 

The victim became aware her identity was stolen when she received a bill from her insurance company for services she never sought. To this day, she continues to be contacted by her insurance about the deductible for the medical care provided to Smith, officials said.

“The impact of identity theft goes far beyond the financial implications. It takes away a victim’s peace of mind and leaves them to deal with the fallout of having false information tied to their name,” said County Attorney Rachel Mitchell in a press release.