Ernest Eugene Leffew, 47, a transient from Soddy-Daisy, Tennessee, is headed to federal prison for 49 months after being convicted of possession of stolen mail and aggravated identity theft in Mississippi. The sentence, handed down by U.S. District Judge Louis Guirola, Jr., marks the end of a brazen crime spree that targeted unsuspecting victims through the U.S. mail system.
From August 2016 to January 2017, Leffew was repeatedly encountered by law enforcement in Hancock and Harrison Counties while in possession of stolen mail. What began as random stops unraveled into a broader fraud scheme when investigators discovered checks, debit cards, and credit cards not belonging to him—along with a notebook filled with handwritten personal data: names, Social Security numbers, dates of birth, addresses, and account numbers of victims.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service led the investigation, revealing that Leffew didn’t just hoard stolen identities—he weaponized them. He altered checks pilfered from mailboxes, forging the payee line with victims’ names and counterfeiting their signatures on the back to cash them illegally. The theft wasn’t random; it was systematic, cold, and financially devastating to those targeted.
Leffew escalated the fraud by applying for a Walmart credit card in the name of one victim. When the card arrived at an address he controlled, he activated it and began making unauthorized purchases. The victim had no knowledge of the account—just mounting charges and a shattered credit profile. This act alone triggered the federal charge of aggravated identity theft, carrying a mandatory two-year minimum sentence.
In addition to prison time, Leffew was ordered to pay a $2,000 fine and $2,514 in restitution to multiple victims whose lives were upended by his actions. The financial penalty is a small measure of justice, but for those whose identities were exploited, the fallout lingers long after the sentence is served.
The case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Jones. Authorities warn the public to safeguard their mail and monitor financial statements—because as Leffew’s case shows, even a mailbox can become a crime scene.
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Key Facts
- State: Mississippi
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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