Jeremy L. Lara, 36, of Albuquerque, N.M., has pleaded guilty to federal fraud and theft charges under a plea agreement with the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Lara was arrested in May 2016, on a criminal complaint charging him with theft of mail in Sandoval County, N.M.
According to the complaint, law enforcement officers found Lara in the process of stealing mail from a community mail box. Officers recovered a counterfeited USPS arrow key as well as stolen mail from inside Lara’s vehicle. This led to a ten-count indictment on June 14, 2016, charging Lara with three counts of bank fraud and three counts of aggravated identity theft.
The indictment also included two counts of possession of a counterfeit postal key and three counts of theft or receipt of stolen mail. The crimes took place in Bernalillo and Sandoval Counties, N.M. The indictment includes forfeiture provisions requiring Lara to forfeit $4,870.28 to the United States.
Lara pled guilty to all counts of the indictment, admitting that he stole mail by using a counterfeit USPS arrow key that he created. He further admitted that he specifically sought out driver’s licenses, bank cards, and other personal identifying information to access the bank accounts of legitimate card holders.
Lara impersonated the account holders by using their bank cards and PIN numbers to withdraw cash from ATMs. At sentencing, Lara faces a statutory maximum penalty of 30 years in prison as well as a mandatory penalty of two years in prison for the aggravated identity theft charge. This two-year sentence must be served consecutive to any sentence imposed on the bank fraud charges.
A sentencing hearing has yet to be scheduled. The case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Rio Rancho Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas Jon Ganjei is prosecuting the case. Lara’s guilty plea marks the end of a long investigation into his fraudulent activities, and he will now face justice for his crimes.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office has been cracking down on fraud and identity theft in recent years, and Lara’s case is just one example of the office’s efforts to hold criminals accountable. With the rise of identity theft and fraud, it is more important than ever for individuals to be vigilant and protect their personal information.
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Key Facts
- State: New Mexico
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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