A California man allegedly turned a Scottsdale mail collection box into a fishing trap, pulling out stolen checks and election-related mail before postal inspectors caught him at the scene. The haul included three Maricopa County ballot packets, adding an election twist to what investigators say was a broader mail-theft scheme.
Richard Anthony Ramos Jr., 26, of Stockton, was arrested last Tuesday at the Scottsdale Hopi Post Office, according to ABC15. Court records accuse him of two counts of third-degree burglary and one count of aggravated identity theft.
The case is also a reminder that election mail receives special attention from federal postal investigators. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service identifies election mail, including ballots, as part of the mail it is assigned to protect and investigate when theft or tampering is suspected.
Investigators Say Cardboard Traps Held Mail Inside The Box
Postal inspectors reportedly began receiving complaints about stolen checks from the Scottsdale collection box as early as May. On June 30, a customer noticed mail was getting stuck, pulled out cardboard that had been wedged inside and contacted Scottsdale police, who notified postal inspectors.
A post office supervisor later reported finding multiple traps, and inspectors installed a camera and license plate reader on July 14, ABC15 reported. Investigators say a silver Infiniti with California plates was seen lingering at the box last Monday, and postal workers believed someone was replacing the traps immediately after the box was emptied.
On Tuesday morning, inspectors allegedly watched the same vehicle pull up and remove a USPS box stuffed with outgoing mail. They approached the driver as he began to leave, identified him as Ramos and later found postal boxes, his phone and stolen mail inside the vehicle, including a check valued at $16,000.
The Ballot Packets Had Not Been Voted
The three election items were not completed ballots, but outbound Maricopa County ballot packets that had not yet been filled out. The county recorder’s office promptly reissued packets to the affected voters, limiting the direct impact on those voters’ ability to participate.
Maricopa County’s election guidance explains that early-ballot materials must go through signature review before a returned ballot can be counted, while voters who need a replacement can obtain a new ballot through the county’s election system. That distinction matters here: the recovered packets were still on their way to voters, not voted ballots pulled from the election process.
Ramos Faces Felony Allegations
Victims whose mail was recovered told investigators they wanted to pursue prosecution, according to the court paperwork described in the report. Ramos was also flagged as a potential flight risk because he is from California, allegedly had no job and was reportedly sleeping in his car when arrested.
The charges are allegations, and Ramos is presumed innocent unless prosecutors prove them in court.
