Truck Driver Indicted For Stealing Kindle Fire From Warehouse

Stephen R. Wigginton, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced today that, Eric Hanstein, age 29, of Arnold, Missouri, was indicted by a Grand Jury in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Illinois, East St. Louis Division. The single count indictment charges Hanstein with Theft from an Interstate Shipment for allegedly stealing a Kindle Fire from a warehouse in Mount Vernon, Illinois.

An indictment is a formal charge against a defendant. Under the law, that charge is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.

The indictment alleges that Hanstein was a truck driver for First Choice Courier and Distribution, Inc. His delivery routes included a stop at a warehouse in Mount Vernon, Illinois where he would load his trucks with packages for delivery. On or about December 5, 2012, according to the indictment, Hanstein kicked aside a package containing a Kindle Fire that was being shipped via FedEx. He later picked up the package and carried it away, ultimately selling the Kindle to an unwitting purchaser on Craigslist for $130.

Theft from an Interstate Shipment is punishable by up to 3 years’ imprisonment, a fine of $250,000 or both, up to one year of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.

This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Maryland Heights Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorneys Theresa M. Dawson and Katherine L. Lewis.