Florida Resident Sentenced to 21 Months' Imprisonment for Mail Theft Related to Fraud Scheme Targeting Financial Institutions
PITTSBURGH - A resident of Pembroke Pines, Florida, has been sentenced in federal court to a term of imprisonment of 21 months to be followed by three years of supervised release on his conviction for theft of mail, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
United States District Judge Arthur Schwab imposed the sentence on Cassio Orville Donald Slowden, age 28.
Previously, in connection with Slowden’s guilty plea, the court was advised that in February 2019, Citizens Bank replacement debit cards and PIN reminders were fraudulently ordered for several customers in McMurray, Pennsylvania. On the afternoon of February 11, U.S. mail was delivered to the mailbox of one of the residences in McMurray. Shortly after, Slowden removed several pieces of mail from the mailbox and drove away from the residence. Slowden’s vehicle was stopped by law enforcement, and a search of the vehicle recovered stolen mail, including the Citizens Bank replacement debit card and PIN reminder taken from the mailbox of the McMurray residence.
The Court was further advised that Citizens Bank, Bank of America, and other financial institutions were victims of an ongoing multistate fraud scheme. The scheme involved one or more callers contacting banks and impersonating customers. The caller would order replacement debit cards and debit card PIN reminders to the customer’s address on file. The suspects would intercept the cards and use them to make fraudulent ATM withdrawals. Slowden is connected to at least $116,277.19 in losses related to fraudulent withdrawals from accounts of at least 12 Citizens Bank and Bank of America customers
Assistant United States Attorney David Lew prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service and U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Slowden.