United States Attorney Richard B. Roper
Northern District of Texas

ONE OF THE LEADERS IN A STOLEN MAIL/ IDENTITY THEFT CONSPIRACY
IN AMARILLO SENTENCED TO NEARLY FOUR YEARS IN FEDERAL PRISON

AMARILLO, Texas — Charles Merle Long, a/k/a Chad Long, who admitted to his role in a stolen mail matter and identity theft scheme, was sentenced this afternoon in federal court in Amarillo to a total of 45 months, announced U.S. Attorney Richard B. Roper. In addition, at today’s sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge Mary Lou Robinson ordered Long to pay $33,487.09, jointly and severally with three other defendants.

Today, Judge Robinson also sentenced Long’s co-defendant, Joanna Elise Brown, 21, to six months in prison and ordered her to pay $$205.48 in restitution. Brown pled guilty to a misprision of a felony

A total of ten Amarillo, Texas, residents were charged in the scheme and all have pled guilty to their roles. All but defendants Andrew Leo Salazar, a/k/a Abel Salazar, 39, and Kara Liesl Kolb, 34, have been sentenced. The remaining defendants were sentenced as follows:

∙ Tonya Denise Robinson, 45, sentenced to 40 months, $33,487.09 restitution, jointly and severally with Kenneth Christopher Leard, Jeremy Scott Mercer, and Charles Merle Long

∙ Kenneth Christopher Leard, 27, sentenced to 27 months in prison and ordered to pay $33,487,09 restitution, jointly and severally with Tonya Denise Robinson, Jeremy Scott Mercer and Charles Merle Long

∙ Pandora Elaine Box, 40, sentenced to 33 months in prison and ordered to pay $18,012.24 restitution

∙ Jeremy Scott Mercer, 30, sentenced to 24 months in prison and ordered to pay $33,487.09 restitution, jointly and severally with Tonya Denise Robinson, Kenneth Christopher Leard and Charles Merle Long

∙ Ashley Nichole Prewitt, 18, sentenced to three years probation and ordered to pay, $842.88 restitution, jointly and severally with Ezequiel Manuel Rodriguez

∙ Ezequiel Manuel Rodriguez, 27, sentenced to 12 months in prison and ordered to pay $842,88 restitution, jointly and severally with Ashley Nichole Prewitt

As part of the scheme, all or some of the defendants stole mail and retrieved abandoned mail from trash receptacles. They used the personal identifying information on the individuals owning the stolen or abandoned mail they had obtained and opened lines of credit, activated discarded convenience checks and credit offers, placed orders for items by charging the purchases to the stolen credit cards, purchased items including cellular telephones and gift cards and otherwise assumed the identity of the individuals who had their personal information stolen.

U.S. Attorney Roper praised the investigative efforts of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Amarillo Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christy L. Drake of the Amarillo, Texas, U.S. Attorney’s Office.

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