SPRINGFIELD, Mo. - Beth Phillips, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Springfield, Mo., woman was indicted by a federal grand jury today for a bank fraud scheme that involved stealing checks from the mail and using stolen identities to pass them at local businesses.

Rhiannon L. Green, 22, of Springfield, was charged in a 20-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Springfield.

Today’s indictment alleges that, between April 17 and Aug. 6, 2011, Green stole checks from business and residential mailboxes in the Springfield area. She allegedly altered the checks and forged the mail theft victims’ names then passed, or attempted to pass, the checks at local businesses to purchase electronic equipment such as computers and iPods. Green allegedly used counterfeit identification cards in the names of the mail theft victims in order to pass the forged checks and defraud the banks on which the checks were drawn. Green later returned the merchandise, the indictment says, for a cash “refund” of the purchase price.

According to the indictment, Green stole and forged at least 40 checks, resulting in a loss of at least $9,927. Green attempted to defraud the banks on which these forged checks were drawn by attempting to pass additional forged checks totaling at least $3,136.

Green is charged with 10 counts of bank fraud and 10 counts of aggravated identity theft.

Phillips cautioned that the charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robyn L. McKee. It was investigated by the Springfield, Mo., Police Department, the Greene County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Republic, Mo., Police Department, the Ozark, Mo., Police Department, the Nixa, Mo., Police Department, the Branson, Mo., Police Department and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.

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