A Franklin County woman has been handed down a sentence of 39 months in prison for her role in a mail theft operation that targeted an elderly woman, among many others. Miranda Burgess, 30, was sentenced on Wednesday by U.S. District Judge Joshua M. Divine after pleading guilty earlier this year to a series of charges, including one count of aggravated identity theft, three counts of possession of stolen mail, and nine counts of bank fraud, the U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of Missouri reported.
In May 2022, authorities discovered Burgess with mail from over 70 individuals and entities. The stolen mail was used to forge checks and set up unauthorized online accounts aiming to siphon nearly $80,000 from an 89-year-old victim. Burgess managed to illegally withdraw $27,470 before attempting, and failing, to transfer another $50,000 to herself – funds which were ultimately returned to the rightful owner, as per the U.S. Attorney's Office.
The sentence also included a fine of $6,500 and an order for Burgess to repay her elderly victim. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Ladendorf underscored the severity of the crime by pointing out that Burgess exploited the fact that her victim was nearly 90 years old. "Her crimes not only affected that victim, but also 73 others who did not receive their mail or had to resend mail that they sent to others, reducing public confidence in the U.S. Mail," Ladendorf wrote in a sentencing memo, as noted by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, along with the Arnold Police Department, and the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office.
