US v. Michael Wright and Cortney Young

US v. Michael Wright and Cortney Young

Case Updates:

4/28/25 – Michael Wright and Cortney Young have pled guilty. Sentencing for Cortney Young will be held on June 24, 2025, at 1pm. Sentencing for Michael Wright will be held on June 26, 2025, at 1pm. Victims of this crime have the right to submit a Victim Impact Statement as well as attend the sentencing hearing. If you would like to do so or have any questions, please contact the Victim Witness Coordinator, Johnna Preidt, at 317-229-2466.

4/4/25 – Michael Wright and Cortney Young have Change of Plea hearings scheduled for 4/22/25.

3/19/25 – Jury trial for 4/7/25 has been cancelled for both defendants. Jury trial is rescheduled to 5/12/25.

3/5/25 – Michael Wright has a Change of Plea hearing scheduled for March 18, 2025, at 2pm.

11/21/24 – Jury trial for 12/16/24 has been cancelled for both defendants. Jury trial is rescheduled to April 7, 2025.
 

Indictment filed 4/18/2024. You can read the indictment here.

What happened:
Beginning on or about October of 2023 law enforcement in the State of Indiana received multiple reports that mail was being stolen from collection boxes primarily in the southwestern part of the state. Additionally, several individuals reported that numerous checks from the stolen mail were being counterfeited or forged and negotiated. It was further determined the stolen mail also contained credit cards, debit cards, and gift cards that were lost, stolen or obtained with intent to defraud.
In March of 2024, officers with the Evansville Police Department were able to observe Michael Wright stealing mail from collection boxes and leaving the area in a car driven by Cortney Young. Upon obtaining search warrants, law enforcement located stolen mail in the vehicle and in the apartment of the defendants.

Michael Wright was charged with the following:

1 Count Unlawful Possession of a Mail Key

1 Count Mail Theft

1 Count Access Device Fraud

1 Count Aggravated Identity Theft

1 Count Possession of Ammunition by a Prohibited Person

1 Count Possession of a Machine Gun

Cortney Young was charged with the following:

1 Count Mail Theft

1 Count Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person

A trial is scheduled before Judge Matthew Brookman on December 16, 2024, 09:00 AM at United States Courthouse, Room 301, 101 Northwest MLK Boulevard, Evansville, IN for the case which involves defendant(s) Michael Jerome Wright, Cortney Lashea Young.

Unless you have received a subpoena to attend as a witness in this matter, your attendance is not required. Because of the Court's schedule, hearing dates could change on very short notice. If you plan on attending, you may want to call the VNS Call Center or check the web site to confirm the date and time.

Crime Victims’ Rights Act – 18 USC § 3771

As a victim in a federal case, you are entitled to certain rights under the Crime Victims Rights Act.  They are as follows:

• The right to be reasonably protected from the accused
• The right to reasonable, accurate, and timely notice of any public court proceeding, or any parole proceeding, involving the crime or of any release or escape of the accused
• The right not to be excluded from any such public court proceeding, unless the court, after receiving clear and convincing evidence, determines that testimony by the victim would be materially altered if the victim heard other testimony at that proceeding
• The right to be reasonably heard at any public proceeding in the district court involving release, plea, sentencing, or any parole proceeding
• The reasonable right to confer with the attorney for the government in the case
• The right to full and timely restitution as provided in law
• The right to proceedings free from unreasonable delay
• The right to be treated with fairness and with respect for the victim’s dignity and privacy
• The right to be informed in a timely manner of any plea bargain or deferred prosecution agreement
• The right to be informed of the rights under this section and the services described in section 503(c) of the Victims' Rights and Restitution Act of 1990 (34 U.S.C. § 20141(c)) and provided contact information for the Office of the Victims' Rights Ombudsman of the Department of Justice. The Victims’ Rights Ombudsman may be contacted at eousa.VictimOmbudsman@usdoj.gov if a victim believes a Department of Justice employee has failed to provide them their rights under the Crime Victims’ Rights Act