Two plead guilty to mail theft

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Acting United States Attorney Beth Drake stated recently that Karissa L. Miller, 25, and Ruby A. Adams, 54, both of Anderson, pled guilty in federal court in Greenville, to a conspiracy to commit mail theft, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371. United States District Judge Bruce Howe Hendricks, of Charleston, accepted the plea and will impose sentence after she has reviewed the presentence report which will be prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.

Evidence presented at the change of plea hearing established that the defendants stole mail in and around Anderson County in an effort to obtain blank checks that are often sent to bank customers along with their statements. Once in possession of the checks, they would open bank accounts, forge the checks, and deposit the checks into the accounts. Defendants would withdraw money from the accounts before their fraud was discovered.

Ms. Drake stated the maximum penalty defendants can receive is a fine of $250,000 and/or imprisonment for 5 years, plus a special assessment of $100.

The case was investigated by agents of the Anderson Police Department and the United States Postal Inspection Service. Assistant United States Attorney Bill Watkins of the Greenville office handled the case.