SACRAMENTO, Calif. — In a brazen case of bank fraud, Michele Reyes Serrano, 35, of Sacramento, was sentenced to five years and 11 months in prison for bank fraud, attempted bank fraud, aggravated identity theft, and possession of stolen U.S. mail.
Between June 1, 2015, and January 21, 2016, Serrano and her husband, co-defendant Raleigh Figueras, 35, obtained personal and financial information from stolen U.S. mail and used the stolen bank account numbers, credit cards, and checks to get money, goods, and services at the expense of the banks. Surveillance cameras caught the defendants cashing checks or making purchases at Sacramento-area Target and Wal-Mart stores.
On January 21, 2016, agents found in the defendants’ residence stolen mail and stolen and counterfeit identification documents with the true identification information of a victim. Serrano admitted to stealing U.S. mail on a regular basis. Figueras pleaded guilty on February 9, 2017, and is scheduled to be sentenced on July 13, 2017.
In a separate case, Orangevale residents Patricia Ann Anchondo, 38, and Angel Marie Galvin, 27, pleaded guilty to bank fraud, aggravated identity theft, and possession of stolen U.S. mail. Anchondo additionally pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Anchondo is scheduled to be sentenced May 25, 2017, and Galvin is scheduled to be sentenced on May 18, 2017.
According to court documents, between March 23, 2016, and November 17, 2016, Anchondo and Galvin stole mail and used the personal and financial information of the mail theft victims to open credit card accounts and to take over existing bank accounts owned by the victims. When a search was conducted at the defendants’ residence, law enforcement agents found stolen U.S. mail, profiles of victims’ information, bank records for a church, and numerous identification documents of a victim.
In another case, Shellby Moore, 29, of Sacramento, pleaded guilty to aggravated identity theft and possession of methamphetamine. According to court documents, Moore and co-defendant Trevor Lichnock-Gembe, 28, of Sacramento, obtained stolen mail and used the personal information of victims to open checking and savings accounts and to obtain debit cards.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service worked closely with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and local law enforcement to bring these defendants to justice. “Postal Inspectors worked closely with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our partners in law enforcement to arrest and prosecute those individuals responsible for thefts of mail and identity theft crimes committed against the public,” said San Francisco Division Inspector in Charge Rafael Nunez.
Related Federal Cases
- Sacramento Woman Pleads Guilty to $600k Wire Fraud · California
- Guerilla Black Sentenced to Decade for Bank Fraud · Washington
- Sacramento Con Man Gets 4+ Years for $1.1M Tax Heist · California
- Artful Dodge: Medicare Fraud Case Closed · Pennsylvania
- Tax Fixer Gets 18 Months for $1.2M Fraud Scheme · Alaska
Key Facts
- State: California
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes|Violent Crime|White Collar Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
ðŸâ€Â’ Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS
US NewsUS NewsUS NewsUS News