UPDATE 4/18/11 @ 8:45 p.m.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) -- A Putnam County man convicted as part of a national crackdown on mortgage scams has been sentenced to 18 months in federal prison.

U.S. District Judge Thomas E. Johnston also ordered 38-year-old Todd Joyce, of Hurricane, to pay $420,000 in restitution to United Bank on Monday.

Joyce pleaded guilty in September to making a false statement to a banking institution and tax evasion.

Joyce's wife, 38-year-old Deborah Joyce, of Hurricane, was sentenced to three years and 10 months in federal prison April 6 on related charges. She was charged for her role in selling property in a Putnam County subdivision at inflated prices.

The couple was originally charged last June as part of Operation Stolen Dreams, an effort that officials say resulted in more than 1,200 people being charged nationwide.

Deborah Joyce, 38, of Hurricane, W.Va., was also sentenced this week to five years of supervised release.

According to a press release sent by the U.S. Attorney's Office, Joyce used her company called Prime Developers, LLC to inflate and falsely appraise homes.

Joyce admitted that she did this to six homes in a Hurricane subdivision starting in 2006.

After the sentencing, U.S. Attorney Booth Goodwin said, "Its effects have cost millions of citizens their jobs and millions more their homes and their savings. It has left communities devastated by foreclosures and plummeting home values. Today’s sentence shows that criminals like Deborah Joyce cannot get away with the lawbreaking that produced this historic mess.”

Her husband, Todd W. Joyce, awaits sentencing for his guilty plea to aiding and abetting in tax evasion.

They were originally charged last June as part of Operation Stolen Dreams, an effort that officials say resulted in more than 1,200 people being charged nationwide.

37-year-old Deborah Joyce and 39-year-old Todd Joyce, both from Hurricane admitted to misleading people into buying homes as investment properties at prices higher than what the homes were actually worth.

Deborah Joyce pleaded to a two-count information charging her with conspiracy to commit wire and bank fraud and to tax evasion.

During her hearing, Ms. Joyce said she became involved with a Utah group that told her they found local private investors who were interested in purchasing properties in the Stonegate subdivision in Hurricane. Joyce admitted to inflating appraisals on 6 homes in that area in order to later sell those homes and land the company had purchased at an inflated value.

Mrs. Joyce’s scheme with the private equity flip resulted in approximately $1.2M in loss.

Todd Joyce pleaded to aiding and abetting and tax evasion.

During his hearing, Mr. Joyce admitted to falsifying income information while applying for a loan to build a home in the Stonegate subdivision. Mr. Joyce submitted false tax documents and income information stating he made more than $300,000 per year.

They Joyces further admitted they were members of three limited liability companies and knowingly and willingly filed false tax forms under reporting the income.

Both will be sentenced on January 3, 2011 and face up to 35 years in prison.

Deborah and Todd Joyce are facing several charges relating to mortgage fraud. They're case is one of hundreds targeted by the White House as part of a nationwide crackdown on mortgage fraud.

U.S. Attorney Booth Goodwin says the scheme by Deborah and Todd Joyce resulted in the loss of $2.3 million dollars.

This isn't the first case against Deborah Joyce. She recently pleaded guilty in federal court for a scheme involving a car loan.

The U.S. attorney says she got two car loans for the same car using a fake tax return and pocketed one of the loans. The loan was for $28,000. She will be sentenced on that crime later this month.

The investigation started on March 1 and it ended in 675 mortgage fraud cases and 1217 people charged nationally. According to a news release, the FBI estimates that approximately $2.3 billion in losses.

“Mortgage fraud ruins lives, destroys families and devastates whole communities, so attacking the problem from every possible direction is vital,” said Attorney General Holder. “We will use every tool available to investigate, prosecute, and prevent mortgage fraud, and we will not rest until anyone preying on vulnerable American homeowners is brought to justice.”

Informations were filed Thursday against Deborah L. Joyce, 37, and Todd W. Joyce, 39, both of Hurricane, according to the release.

Investigators say the couple misled people into buying homes as investment properties at prices far higher than the homes were actually worth.

According to the release, the couple bought a home for $395,000, then obtained a false appraisal for $714,000, which they used to “flip” the house to an unwitting investor for $615,000. In total, the Joyces’ crimes resulted in losses of more than $2.3 million, according to the release.

Operation Stolen Dreams focused not only on federal criminal cases, but also on civil enforcement, restitution for victims and increasing cooperation with state and local partners.

“Mortgage fraud threatens the dreams of every West Virginia home-buyer. As the charges we announce today indicate, the effects run deep," said U.S. Attorney Booth Goodwin. "Mortgage fraud certainly affects lenders and investors. But it also affects property values and livability in the communities involved. We are committed to aggressively rooting out and prosecuting those who would jeopardize the American dream with their crimes.”

Deborah Joyce was charged with conspiracy to commit wire and bank fraud and evading income taxes. If Deborah is found guilty, she could have to pay up to more than $2.3M.

Todd Joyce was charged with false statement to a financial institution. If convicted, Todd could have to forfeit up to $820,000.