Kanawha County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Fraud and Theft Crimes

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Ernest Lee Alexander III, 33, of St. Albans, pleaded guilty today to bank fraud and possession of stolen mail matter.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on December 13, 2021, Alexander led law enforcement officers on a high-speed chase throughout western Kanawha County after they attempted a traffic stop of his vehicle in South Charleston. The chase ended when Alexander exited Interstate 77 at Tuppers Creek, lost control of his vehicle and crashed. Officers arrested Alexander and found stolen mail and a bank receipt in the vehicle. Alexander admitted that earlier that same day, he had used the identification information of the owner of the stolen mail to deposit a fraudulent check into the individual’s bank account and then withdraw $450 from the account.

Alexander is scheduled to be sentenced on May 9, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison, five years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine.

United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the United States Postal Inspection Service and the South Charleston Police Department.

Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan A. Keefe is prosecuting the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-201.

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