Three Cedar Rapids Men Plead Guilty to Fraud Charges, Including Counterfeiting, Possession of Stolen U.S. Mail, and Aggravated Identity Theft

Three men have pleaded guilty in federal court in Cedar Rapids to various fraud charges, including counterfeiting, possession of stolen United States Mail, and aggravated identity theft.

Joshua Chalk, 31, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was convicted of Manufacturing Counterfeit Currency and Aggravated Identity Theft. At his plea hearing on July 17, 2017, Chalk admitted he manufactured a $100 bill in March 2017. Chalk was making counterfeit currency to purchase pizza and other items in the Cedar Rapids, Iowa, area. Chalk provided counterfeit bills to his girlfriend, who ordered the pizzas. Chalk also admitted he participated in a bank fraud scheme with Kevin Kappmeyer and Darrell Turner to remove checks drawn on the accounts of various banks from stolen mail, alter the payee names on the checks, and then attempt to cash those checks. Chalk admitted he attempted to cash an altered check on December 26, 2016, at a local check cashing company.

Darrell Turner, 50, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was convicted of Possession of Stolen Mail Matter and Aggravated Identity Theft. At his plea hearing on April 18, 2017, Turner admitted he possessed a check that had been contained in mail stolen from a Cedar Rapids mailbox. Turner tried to cash the check on January 6, 2017, at a local bank.

Kevin Kappmeyer, 50, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was convicted of Possession of Stolen Mail Matter and Aggravated Identity Theft. At his plea hearing on June 28, 2017, Kappmeyer admitted he possessed a check that had been contained in mail addressed to a company in Marion, Iowa, that was stolen. Kappmeyer cashed the check on January 4, 2017.

“Postal Inspectors are committed to protecting the U.S. Mail and postal customers from criminal attack,” said Craig Goldberg, Inspector in Charge of the Denver Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, which includes Iowa. “These guilty pleas reflect the successful teamwork between the Postal Inspection Service and its local law enforcement partners who worked together to bring justice to the victims in this case and to help restore the public’s trust in the U.S. mail,” said Goldberg.

Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade will be set after a presentence report is prepared for each defendant. All three men remain in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Chalk faces up to 22 years’ imprisonment, a $500,000 fine, $200 in special assessments, and four years of supervised release following any imprisonment. Turner and Kappmeyer face up to 7 years’ imprisonment, a $500,000 fine, $200 in special assessments, and four years of supervised release following any imprisonment.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tim Vavricek and was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Cedar Rapids Police Department, and the Marion Police Department.

Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.

The case file numbers are 17-CR-17-LRR, 17-CR-44-LRR, and 17-CR-47-LRR.

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