Great Falls woman admits possessing stolen mail, wire fraud crimes

GREAT FALLS — A Great Falls woman who transported mail admitted today to possessing stolen mail and wire fraud charges after depositing checks she had overwritten with her name, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.

Jacqueline Rose Hydock, 33, pleaded guilty to possession of stolen mail and wire fraud. Hydock faces a maximum of 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release.

Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for Dec. 13. Hydock was released pending further proceedings.

In court documents, the government alleged that Hydock was a driver for a Great Falls postal service contract route, and her job was to transport mail between the post office annex in Black Eagle and the main post office in downtown Great Falls. In May 2022, Hydock opened a new account at Montana Federal Credit Union and then made a series of check deposits using an ATM and drive-up window. The checks, issued by various individuals and placed in the mail, had been overwritten in a black felt pen, with the payee’s name changed to Hydock’s. In addition, a woman mailed a birthday card to her grandson and enclosed a Walmart gift card. When the card arrived, there was no gift card in the envelope, which had been opened and taped shut. An investigation determined that the gift card was used on May 22, 2022 in Great Falls, and photos showed Hydock and another individual at the register for the transaction.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica A. Betley is prosecuting the case. The U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, U.S. Postal Service, Cascade County Sheriff’s Office and Great Falls Police Department conducted the investigation.

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