Florence Woman Enters Guilty Plea in Federal Court on Fraud Charges

Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Beth Drake stated today that Crystal Lynn Norris, age 27, of Florence, SC, pled guilty in federal court in Florence, to Conspiracy to Manufacture and Pass Forged and Counterfeited Securities, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371.  United States District Judge Bryan Harwell, of Florence, accepted the plea and will impose sentence after he has reviewed the presentence report which will be prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.

The evidence presented at the guilty plea hearing established that during the period from November through December of 2016, Norris was involved in a conspiracy to manufacture and pass forged and counterfeited securities (checks) of organizations.

Norris and another person stole mail from mailboxes at various residences in Florence and Darlington Counties looking for checks within the mail.  Norris then either altered/forged the stolen checks by substituting herself as the payee, or she used genuine bank account and routing numbers from the stolen checks to make counterfeit checks.  Norris then went to banks in Florence and Easley, SC and presented the forged and counterfeited checks for payment. 

Ms. Drake stated the maximum penalty Norris can receive is imprisonment for 5 years and a fine of $250,000.

The case was investigated by agents of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service with the assistance of the Florence County Sheriff’s Office, the Florence Police Department and the Easley Police Department.  Assistant United States Attorney A. Bradley Parham of the Florence office prosecuted the case.

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