Darrell Alan Thompson, Check Theft Conspiracy, North Carolina 2024

Fayetteville Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Check Theft Conspiracy and Firearm Possession

RALEIGH, N.C. - In a shocking turn of events, Darrell Alan Thompson, a 35-year-old Fayetteville man, has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for his involvement in a brazen check theft conspiracy. The scheme, which targeted checks placed in postal collection boxes, resulted in significant financial losses for impacted financial institutions.

'Thompson's crimes were nothing short of egregious,' said Michael F. Easley, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina. 'His actions not only hurt innocent people but also undermined the trust in our postal system.'

According to court documents, Thompson was identified on surveillance footage opening and stealing the contents of postal collection boxes between November 2022 and January 2023. The investigation, led by the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) and the Raleigh Police Department (RPD), revealed that Thompson was using a Postal Service 'arrow key' to access and steal mail from official collection boxes located outside of government post offices in Wake County.

Thompson would then alter the checks by changing the payee information, deposit the checks into bank accounts, and withdraw the proceeds at local ATMs. His scheme resulted in the theft of approximately 180 checks and 450 AMEX gift cards.

The investigation took a dramatic turn when officers tracked Thompson to the North Ridge Post Office parking lot in Raleigh and arrested him on the scene. A search of Thompson's vehicle recovered a 9mm pistol, multiple ammo magazines, and the stolen checks and gift cards.

At the time of his arrest, Thompson was a convicted felon, making him ineligible to possess a firearm. As a result, he faces an additional charge of possession of a firearm by a felon.

Thompson was sentenced to 15 years in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay restitution to the impacted financial institutions.

The case was investigated by the USPIS and the RPD, with Assistant United States Attorney Adam F. Hulbig prosecuting the case for the government.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ednc/pr/conspiracy-steal-checks-postal-collection-boxes-and-possession-firearm-felon-gets