Wessington Springs Man Pleads Guilty to Obstruction of Correspondence

United States Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that Loren Stuefen, age 31, of Wessington Springs, South Dakota, appeared before United States District Judge Roberto A. Lange on March 8, 2011, and pled guilty to an indictment that charged him with Obstruction of Correspondence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is five years of imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, or both; three years of supervised release, and a special assessment of $100 to the Victim Assistance Fund. The charge relates to the theft of a letter containing a gift card and fraudulently appropriating the gift card for his own use.

The investigation was conducted by the United States Postal Inspection Service. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jay Miller.

A presentence investigation was ordered, and a sentencing date was set for June 6, 2011. The defendant was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing.