Federal court building in Hammond
Mail theft gets Chicago man an 18-month sentence
Contributed By: The 411 News
Converted $189,850 in stolen checks for personal use
Hammond – Shawn Edwards, 34 years old, of Chicago, Illinois, was sentenced Thursday by United States District Court Judge Philip P. Simon after pleading guilty to wire fraud, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.
Edwards was sentenced to 18 months in prison, 2 years of supervised release and ordered to pay $189,850 in restitution to the victims of the offense.
According to documents in the case, between July 2020 and September 2021, Edwards was the leader and organizer of a fraud ring which stole checks that had been placed in the care of the United States Postal Service, intended to be sent to local Indiana businesses.
Edwards’ co-defendant LaToya Tolbert, a postal employee, is scheduled to be sentenced later this year. Tolbert delivered the checks to Edwards.
The payee on each stolen check was then altered so that the check could be cashed by Edwards or one of his associates. In total, Edwards and his associates were able to cash or deposit $189,850 in stolen funds over the time period of the scheme.
Story Posted:08/24/2024
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