A former Indiana postal employee has been sentenced to over three years in jail. According to Fox News, the person pleaded responsible to stealing a minimum of 272 mailed checks that amounted to $1.7 million.
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More Details Regarding The Former Indiana Postal Worker’s Sentencing
According to the outlet, 42-year-old James Lancaster reportedly apologized for his actions forward of his sentencing Wednesday. Then, he shared that he’s “targeted on turning his life round, as per WTHR.
“My actions not only damaged my character but everyone involved. I want everyone to know I am truly sorry for everything that’s happened.”
The outlet provides that Lancaster’s protection legal professional, Sam Ansell, additionally requested that the decide “offer Lancaster mercy” by sentencing him to probation fairly than jail time.
“This is one of those unusual situations where the sentencing guideline is more than what’s necessary,” Ansell defined as per WTHR. “I think in this case, the harm that’s going to come to him and his family is significant … A prison sentence is not necessary. Probation would be adequate.”
Despite this, Fox News experiences that Lancaster. was sentenced to 40 months in jail by U.S. District Court Judge Tanya Walton Pratt on Wednesday. Additionally, the outlet experiences that after the sentencing, Judge Pratt defined that Lancaster has “no excuse for his actions.”
The decide added that Lancaster, a former Indiana U.S. postal customer support supervisor, confirmed “nothing other than greed and disregard” for his victims.
“The defendant really has no excuse for his actions,” Judge Pratt defined, as per WTHR. “Mr. Lancaster was in a position of trust at a busy post office (but showed) nothing other than greed and disregard of the victims.”
Ultimately, Judge Pratt added that Lancaster’s alleged actions “seriously impacted” companies whose checks have been confiscated within the scheme and eroded the general public’s belief in the united statesP.S.
Furthermore, the decide ordered Lancaster to serve three years of “supervision” and pay greater than $88,000 in restitution to the affected victims, as per WTHR.
More Information Regarding The Suspect’s Alleged Scheme
According to Fox News, the previous New Augusta, Indianapolis, U.S. postal employee allegedly started thieving mail that contained checks in 2021. The outlet experiences that court docket data affirm Lancaster stole over 272 mailed checks. The checks have been reportedly value $1.7 million {dollars} and originated from 59 companies.
James Lancaster used his place because the supervisor of customer support at Indianapolis’ New Augusta submit workplace to steal greater than 270 items of mail containing checks from greater than 50 native companies.https://t.co/ET1zn7Yspz
— WTHR.com (@WTHRcom) August 23, 2023
Additionally, the companies reportedly included hospitals, utility corporations, automotive dealerships, charities, and a most cancers analysis heart.
Robb Fine, a enterprise proprietor whose firm misplaced three checks that amounted to $21,000 within the scheme, shared his ideas on the matter as per WTHR.
“The whole thing was really horrible. Unless you own a business, it’s hard for anyone to understand what the business interruption is like, to shut down your checking account. It took two people working two whole weeks to get things worked out, and then it took months working with our bank. It’s a huge problem when something like this happens.”
Lancaster finally pleaded responsible to at least one depend of mail theft and conspiracy to commit financial institution fraud. Meanwhile, WTHR experiences that two co-conspirators have been additionally found within the case’s investigation.
According to the outlet, the co-conspirators allegedly manipulated the checks. Then, they bought them on-line for a revenue.
Fox News experiences that one co-conspirator, Jordan McPhearson of Illinois, pleaded responsible to conspiracy to commit financial institution fraud final 12 months. McPhearson has since been sentenced to 42 months in federal jail. According to WTHR, the second co-conspirator, Lavaris Yarbrough, might be sentenced in September.
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