Albuquerque Man Sentenced for Mail Theft

ALBUQUERQUE – Eric R. Powell, 33, of Albuquerque, N.M., was sentenced today in federal court in Santa Fe, N.M., to five years of probation including eight months of home confinement for mail theft. 

Powell pled guilty on May 3, 2017, to a charge of theft or receipt of stolen mail.  According to court documents, he possessed stolen mail from more than 1,300 victims and caused his victim’s more than $13,000 in financial losses.  In pleading guilty, Powell admitted that he stole mail from numerous mailboxes in Albuquerque using a counterfeit U.S. Postal Service Arrow Key.  Powell also admitted that he paid for a hotel room using a credit card he found in stolen mail.   He also admitted buying various items with credit and debit cards, checks, and gift cards he obtained from stolen mail.

This case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Rio Rancho Police Department.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Fyffe prosecuted the case.