Stamp Scam Lands OKC Man 30 Months Behind Bars

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – Robert Jordan Chiles, 32, of Oklahoma City, is trading the convenience of postage for the confines of a federal prison cell. Yesterday, United States District Judge Stephen P. Friot handed down a 30-month sentence to Chiles for a brazen scheme to purchase over $41,000 worth of United States postage stamps with checks that bounced harder than a rubber ball.

According to court documents, Chiles wasn’t just buying stamps for personal use. Between February and March of 2016, he systematically targeted multiple Oklahoma City post offices, racking up a $41,013.79 bill for stamps paid with worthless paper. The scheme involved checks drawn on accounts at USAA Federal Savings Bank, MidFirst Bank, and First United Bank – accounts Chiles *knew* were empty when he penned those fraudulent transactions.

Chiles initially faced charges via Information and ultimately pled guilty on October 19, 2016, likely hoping for leniency. Judge Friot wasn’t buying it. Beyond the prison sentence, Chiles was ordered to make significant restitution payments. The United States Post Office is due $21,431.79, MidFirst Bank will receive $6,800.00, and First United Bank is slated to get $484.48. Consider it a down payment on his debt to society.

Federal agents didn’t just stop at the paper trail. A search of Chiles’s property yielded a substantial stash: 40,000 postage stamps. Those stamps have been ordered forfeited, adding insult to injury. It’s a good thing he wasn’t planning a mass mailing operation – he wouldn’t have had the funds for delivery.

The investigation was spearheaded by the relentless team at the United States Postal Inspection Service, who are tasked with protecting the integrity of the mail. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda Maxfield Green skillfully prosecuted the case, securing a conviction and a sentence that sends a clear message: messing with the USPS and financial institutions won’t be tolerated.

This case serves as a stark reminder that even seemingly small-scale fraud can carry serious consequences. For Robert Jordan Chiles, a stamp collecting hobby turned into a costly and lengthy prison stay. He’ll have plenty of time to contemplate the value of a penny – and the importance of a funded bank account.