Las Cruces Man Pleads Guilty to Possession of Forged and Counterfeited Postage Stamps

ALBUQUERQUE – James H. Clark, Jr., 61, of Las Cruces, N.M., pleaded guilty this afternoon to an indictment charging him with possession with intent to use forged and counterfeited postage meter stamps under a plea agreement with the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Clark, the owner and operator of a business selling books through internet websites, was indicted on Feb. 19, 2014, and charged with possession with intent to use forged and counterfeited postage meter stamps with an aggregate value of $9,142.98.

Today Clark entered a guilty plea to the indictment.  In his plea agreement, Clark admitted that on Oct. 19, 2010, he knowingly possessed 1,527 forged and counterfeited postage meter stamps that he created by copying original postage meter stamps that he purchased from stamps.com.  Clark further admitted that he intended to use the forged and counterfeited stamps to mail packages through the U.S. Postal Service.  He acknowledged that the total face value of the forged and counterfeited stamps was $9,142.98.

In the plea agreement, Clark and the United States stipulated that the U.S. Postal Service sustained $365,827.00 in losses as a result of Clark’s criminal activities.  Under the terms of the plea agreement, Clark will be required to pay restitution to the U.S. Postal Service in that amount.  

At sentencing, Clark faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison.  His sentencing hearing has yet to be scheduled.

This case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Shapiro of the U.S. Attorney’s Las Cruces Branch Office.