California men sent to prison for stolen mail scheme that netted nearly $250,000

(FOX40.COM) — The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California recently announced the sentencing of two men from Sacramento who were found responsible for nearly $250,000 worth of check fraud.

According to U.S. Attorney Phillip Talbert, Carlos Aranda, 41, and Daniel Hunt, 38, were sentenced to 66 and 57 months in prison for conspiracy, bank fraud, and aggravated identity theft connected to postal thefts.

The attorney’s office said that Aranda and Hunt worked together to steal postal locks, create keys, and steal mail to obtain checks of various amounts.

“The conspirators periodically gathered together at motel rooms and elsewhere to alter or ‘wash’ [the] stolen checks,” the attorney’s office said. The two men would take the stolen checks and attempt to deposit, cash, or even use them in negotiations.

In total, the two men from Sacramento were able to commit nearly $250,000 worth of check fraud, according to the attorney’s office, however, it was not made clear how long the men were conducting the scheme.