Former Postal Service Employee Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Stealing Credit/Debit Card Information from U.S. Mail

LAS VEGAS, Nev. – A former mail sorter for the U.S. Postal Service in Las Vegas was sentenced today to two years in federal prison after he was caught stealing items from the mail, including credit and debit card information, announced Daniel G. Bogden, United States Attorney for the District of Nevada.

Jerome Harvey, 34, of Las Vegas, who pleaded guilty in November 2012, to one count of aggravated identity theft, was sentenced by Senior U.S. District Judge Kent J. Dawson to a mandatory two year prison term, one year of supervised release, and ordered to pay $5,951 in restitution.

According to the plea agreement, between May and July 2011, Harvey worked as a casual employee sorting mail for the U.S. Postal Service in Las Vegas. In that capacity, he stole items from the mail, including credit and debit cards and personal identification numbers. Harvey stole the information of 12 individuals, and used it to gain access to their financial accounts and to obtain other things of value. The total amount of actual loss associated with the thefts was $5,951.

Harvey is free on a personal recognizance bond, and was permitted to self-report to federal prison by June 7, 2013.

The case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christina M. Brown.

This case was handled in connection with the President's Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force. The task force was established to wage an aggressive, coordinated and proactive effort to investigate and prosecute financial crimes. With more than 20 federal agencies, 94 U.S. attorneys' offices and state and local partners, it's the broadest coalition of law enforcement, investigatory and regulatory agencies ever assembled to combat fraud. Since its formation, the task force has made great strides in facilitating increased investigation and prosecution of financial crimes; enhancing coordination and cooperation among federal, state and local authorities; addressing discrimination in the lending and financial markets and conducting outreach to the public, victims, financial institutions and other organizations. Over the past three fiscal years, the Justice Department has filed nearly 10,000 financial fraud cases against nearly 15,000 defendants including more than 2,900 mortgage fraud defendants. For more information on the task force, please visit www.StopFraud.gov.