Las Vegas woman Mary Fixico, 24, admitted in federal court today to possessing stolen mail and manufacturing counterfeit U.S. currency—crimes that gut victims and destabilize local businesses. Fixico pleaded guilty before United States District Judge Andrew P. Gordon, caving under evidence of a brazen scheme that exploited stolen identities and rigged printers to pass fake bills across the city.
Fixico admitted to scanning and printing her own U.S. currency using counterfeiting paraphernalia, then spending it at grocery stores, gas stations, and other everyday spots throughout Las Vegas. Her forgeries weren’t just cash—during a raid on her residence shared with co-defendant Kyle Sanz-Carver, 32, authorities seized 23 forged checks totaling $50,782, all altered to redirect payments to her name.
Their operation ran on stolen access. Sanz-Carver, who pleaded guilty on Dec. 28, 2016, to possession of stolen mail, a counterfeit U.S. Postal Service lock, and four fake USPS keys, used the tools to break into mailboxes and pilfer contents. Fixico admitted she knew the mail was stolen—and that it included 45 pieces of first-class mail, 80 bank and credit card statements, and 130 personal and commercial checks.
U.S. Attorney Daniel G. Bogden didn’t mince words: ‘Mail theft and manufacturing counterfeit money are serious crimes. Victims of mail theft may suffer for years after the crime has been committed and counterfeit currency impacts the economy and businesses.’ He urged the public to report mail theft immediately, vowing federal crackdowns with USPS and law enforcement partners.
Fixico now stares down a maximum of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for counterfeiting, plus up to five years and another $250,000 for possessing stolen mail. Sentencing is set for April 19, 2017. Her co-defendant’s punishment is pending, but the tools of their trade—fake keys, pilfered checks, and printer-rigged fraud—paint a picture of a low-tech crime with high-stakes consequences.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Service and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lisa C. Cartier-Giroux. With identity theft and financial fraud surging, federal authorities say they’re zeroing in on networks that turn stolen mail into cold, counterfeit cash.
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Key Facts
- State: Nevada
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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