6 People Charged in Separate Postal Crime Cases

(Press Release) United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced that a federal grand jury in Fresno returned two separate indictments for conspiracy to commit postal crimes and other postal related offenses. This announcement follows the arraignment of three of the defendants this afternoon before the Honorable Judge Gary S. Austin. The remaining defendants are in state custody as they await arraignment.

In the first indictment, filed on November 3, 2011, a federal grand jury charged 31-year-old Jerry Jay Her of Fresno, 23-year-old Travis Chieng, aka Travis Chang, aka Travis My Nai of Fresno, 30-year-old John Vang of Fresno, and 24-year-old Xiong Vang, aka Blong Vang, aka Cheng Veng of Fresno, with conspiracy to possess counterfeit postal keys, postal mail locks and stolen mail. The indictment alleges that the defendants conspired to obtain mail stolen from community mail boxes in the Fresno area, and were found to be in possession of counterfeit postal keys, stolen postal mail locks, and stolen mail. According to the indictment, as part of the conspiracy, the defendants altered checks stolen from the mail by removing the original payee’s name from the check in order to defraud individuals or financial institutions of money or property.

In the second indictment, also filed on November 3, 2011, a federal grand jury charged 31-year-old Jerry Jay Her of Fresno, 49-year-old Darren Russell Huffman of Fresno, and 30-year-old New Kee Xiong of Fresno, with conspiracy to possess counterfeit postal keys and stolen mail, and theft of mail. The indictment alleges that the defendants conspired to steal mail from community mail boxes in the Fresno area, and were found to be in possession of counterfeit postal keys and stolen mail. According to the indictment, as part of the conspiracy, the defendants altered checks stolen from the mail by removing the original payee’s name from the check in order to defraud individuals or financial institutions of money or property.

“Ensuring the security of our customers’ mail is a top priority for the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. We will use every resource available to investigate, arrest and prosecute those who steal mail for personal gain,” said United States Postal Inspector-in-Charge Adam P. Behnen.

These cases are the product of an extensive investigation by the United States Postal Inspection Service. Assistant United States Attorney Grant B. Rabenn is prosecuting the cases.

The maximum statutory penalty for possession of stolen mail is five years and a $250,000 fine; the maximum statutory penalty for possession of counterfeit postal keys and postal mail locks is ten years and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.