A Franklin County man has been handed a 23-month prison sentence for his role in a fraudulent scheme involving stolen checks from the U.S. Mail. Matthew Cahill, 41, admitted to conspiring with others in stealing checks and personal information which they then used to create counterfeit checks or alter stolen ones. U.S. District Judge Sarah E. Pitlyk also ordered Cahill to pay restitution amounting to $30,737, according to a statement by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Missouri.
The criminal activities, which took place from February 2020 through September 2021, led to an actual and intended loss of $67,807. The perpetrators targeted mailboxes, homes, and vehicles to pilfer checks and sensitive financial information. In detail, Cahill's misdeeds included electronically accessing a victim's account to send an unauthorized ACH payment to an associate, the U.S. Attorney's Office reported.
"The sentencing in this case illustrates that individuals who engage in mail theft will be held accountable for their actions," said Inspector in Charge Ruth Mendonça, who leads the Chicago Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Mendonça's division includes the St. Louis Field Office which was instrumental in the investigation. She expressed pride in the collaborative efforts to bring the perpetrators to justice and thwart further financial crimes against citizens and institutions, as reported by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
The investigation was a concerted effort by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Secret Service, Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, and several local police departments. Cohorts of Cahill, namely Donald Anderson, Joshua Hopkins, and Harvey Hale have also faced the music for their involvement. Pearson to the statement by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Missouri, Anderson, 36, received a 24-month sentence and must repay $26,527, while Hopkins, also 36, was sentenced to 24 months with a repayment of $1,395. Hale, 48, received a 12-month sentence and is on the hook for $19,550 in restitution.
