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AUSA VICKIE E. LEDUC at 410-209-4885  

July 7, 2006

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                  

http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/md                                       

HYATTSVILLE MAN SENTENCED TO 91 MONTHS IN STOLEN CHECKS SCHEME

Defendant Ordered to Pay $123,246 in Restitution

Greenbelt, Maryland - Ervin S. Waddy, age 54, of Hyattsville, was sentenced today to 67 months in prison for bank fraud, and 24 consecutive months in prison for aggravated identity theft, followed by 4 years of supervised release, announced United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein. U.S. District Judge Alexander Williams, Jr. also ordered that Waddy pay restitution of $123,246.27.

According to the statement of facts presented to the court, beginning as early as January 2004, Waddy and others, including co-defendants Drain M. Short, age 44, Angela Agnew, age 38, and Terrence Ellis, age 39, purchased items at various stores using stolen checks and false identification documents that corresponded with the names on the stolen checks. For example, on June 19, 2005 Waddy used a stolen check and a fraudulent identification document to purchase $286.91 worth of goods from Sam’s Club in Annapolis, Maryland. Judge Williams determined that the amount of loss to the banks attributable to Waddy is $123,246.27.

Short and Ellis pled guilty to the same charges and Agnew pled guilty to aggravated identity theft. Agnew, Ellis and Short are scheduled to be sentenced on July 13, July 31 and August 7, respectively.

On May 11, 2006 George E. Mozee, age 46, of Bowie was indicted for bank fraud arising from his theft of personal checks from the mail. Mozee was employed as a letter carrier with the U.S. Postal Service. According to the indictment, Mozee gave boxes of checks stolen from the Lamond Riggs Station post office in Washington, D.C. to Waddy and his co-defendants. Waddy allegedly compensated Mozee either with cash or items purchased with the stolen checks.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein thanked the U.S. Postal Inspection Service for its investigative work, and commended Assistant United States Attorney Chan Park, who prosecuted the case.

This page last modified—July 7, 2006