Two men have landed in the clink, busted by Austin Police for their alleged role in a large-scale mail theft operation. The duo, identified as Raul Valdez, 42, and Cesar Ortiz, 46, face serious time for swiping mail across more than 50 addresses, a caper encompassing personal data from a slew of victims.
Caught red-handed in a U-Haul van outside an illegal gambling joint, the two were found amongst a scatter of people's mail – a dead giveaway of their operations, CBS Austin reported. A sweep of their vehicle turned up a mishmash of incriminating items: a ginormous trash bag filled with mail, burglary tools, and a bevy of keys marked "PROPERTY OF USPS."
Alongside the postal pilfering paraphernalia, authorities dug up more than 15 grams of codeine pills and an eclectic mix of stolen personal identifying information. Valdez and Ortiz are now slapped with first-degree felony charges for mail theft and second-degree felony charges for fraudulent possession of identifying info, as told by the arrest affidavit.
Digging deeper, the officers discovered bags brimming with a smorgasbord of personal documents, including social security cards, state vital records, and checkbooks, all ripe for the taking. According to the rap sheet released by KXAN, this treasure trove of personal data led to the second helping of felony charges.
The attorneys for the accused are keeping mum. An attorney for Ortiz conveyed to KXAN that it's premature to comment but hinted that we might catch a statement in four to six weeks. Responses from Valdez's legal counsel are still up in the air.
As for the victims, the aftermath is like a ground zero of identity theft: 750 letters pilfered, a swath of financial and personal data up for grabs. The apartments at 8900 North Interstate 35 and 2104 East Anderson Lane got hit particularly hard, with police citing forcibly pried open and dislodged mailboxes. The havoc wreaked by Ortiz and Valdez – if prosecutors prove the allegations precise – underscores the fragility of those daily envelopes sliding through our mail slots.
