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Press Release

Georgia and Florida Residents Plead Guilty in Stolen Mail Scheme

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of Florida

Two men separately pled guilty to possession of mail that had been stolen from various condominium complexes throughout Broward County, Florida.

Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and Ronald J. Verrochio, Inspector in Charge, United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Miami Division, made the announcement.

Anthony Bouquette, 24, of Valdosta, Georgia, pled guilty today to two counts of possession of stolen mail, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1708 and 2.   James Mathurin, 24, of Fort Lauderdale, pled guilty on October 8, 2015 to two counts of possession of stolen mail, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1708 and 2.   Bouquette is scheduled to be sentenced on January 28, 2015 at 10:30 a.m. in front of U.S. District Judge William J. Zloch.  Mathurin will be sentenced on January 8, 2016 at 9:30 a.m. in front of U.S. District Judge James I. Cohn.  At sentencing, both defendants face up to five years imprisonment, three years supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000 and restitution as to each count.

According to information contained in the court records, from February through September 2011, the defendants possessed mail that had been stolen from various apartment complexes in Broward County, including locations in Deerfield Beach, Lauderhill, Sunrise and Wilton Manors.  The defendants and other individuals possessed checks that had been made out to businesses and stolen from the condominium complex mail receptacles.  The defendants separately deposited the stolen checks into accounts at local banks and were compensated for depositing these checks.  The defendants’ unauthorized conduct caused both the check writer and the intended business recipient to sustain a financial loss.

Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of the USPIS. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Randy Katz.

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.

Updated February 4, 2016