Two Augusta 22-year-olds have been handed decade-long federal prison sentences for stealing mail, forging checks and carrying out bank fraud and identity theft using a stolen U.S. Postal Service key.
Cameron Martinas Curry and Quavaun Enreco Rhodes were sentenced to 120 months in prison each after pleading guilty earlier this year to possession of a stolen mail key, possessing stolen mail, bank fraud and aggravated identity theft.
U.S. District Judge Dudley H. Bowen Jr. also ordered both men to pay $2,000 in fines, $400 in special assessments and serve five years of supervised release after their prison terms. There is no parole in the federal system.
Authorities said Curry and Rhodes used a stolen USPS collection box key to steal mail from around the area, including boxes at the Martinez post office and the Hill Station on Stovall Street.
Targeting business mail containing checks written for thousands of dollars, the men fraudulently endorsed the checks then deposited them into the accounts of co-conspirators.
They were then able to withdraw the funds before the banks “realized the checks were fraudulent,” according to a news release. The pair attempted to steal more than $550,000 through this scheme, it said.
Federal and local officials emphasized the wide-ranging harm of the crimes.
- “Hundreds of citizens in this district were victimized by these defendants,” said U.S. Attorney Jill E. Steinberg. “Our office will continue working with our law enforcement partners to defend the integrity of the mail system and bring mail thieves and fraudsters to justice.”
- “Stealing from the mail and defrauding financial institutions undermines public trust,” said Paul Brown, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Atlanta division. “We will continue to pursue those who exploit federal systems for personal gain.”
- Richmond County Sheriff Eugene Brantley added: “These crimes defrauded both individuals and businesses in our community. That is unacceptable, and we are grateful for the cooperation with federal authorities to hold offenders accountable.”
The investigation was led by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the FBI. The case was prosecuted by First Assistant U.S. Attorney David H. Estes and Assistant U.S. Attorney Patricia Rhodes.
