Omaha Woman Sentenced For Bank Fraud
Krista Swanson, 36, of Omaha, Nebraska was sentenced to four years in prison by the Honorable Laurie Smith Camp, Chief United States District Court Judge. Swanson, also known as Crystal Wilhelm, was the leader of a five person ring involved in a scheme to use stolen mail containing checks. Swanson and her crew would then alter or counterfeit stolen checks and then manufacture false identification documents matching the name of the checking account holder. Swanson and her crew would then engage in split deposits at various banks whereby they would deposit the checks in varying amounts and ask for cash back. Swanson and her crew caused losses in excess of $31,000 to Omaha area banks.
Each of her co-defendants had been previously sentenced by Judge Smith Camp. Defendant Charles Elmore and Jonathan Tolbert were each sentenced to 24 months in prison. Defendants Bobbie Lawson and Angela Campbell were each sentenced to one year in prison by Judge Smith Camp.
Following today’s sentencing, Acting Postal Inspector in Charge Tommy D. Coke, Denver Division, which includes Omaha, said, “The sentencing today illustrates the commitment of Postal inspectors to protect the U.S. mail by investigating those individuals who steal mail to use it in the furtherance of their check cashing/identity theft schemes. A special thanks is owed to the Omaha Police Department for all the manpower and work in the investigation.”
