A Mobile man was sentenced to 36 months in prison for bank fraud and aggravated identity theft involving checks that he stole from the mail.
According to court documents, Jonathan Taylor Randle, 32, pleaded guilty to defrauding numerous banks and credit unions between October 2022 and May 2023. Randle admitted that he carried out the scheme by stealing checks from the mail, producing counterfeited and forged checks, making false identification documents, and conducting unlawful deposits, transfers, and withdrawals.
In March 2023, federal agents began receiving complaints about someone “fishing” mail from U.S. postal collection boxes using tools covered in rat trap glue. Agents recovered several of these “fishing” devices from tubs inside postal collection boxes at post offices in Mobile, Alabama and Escatawpa, Mississippi. A fingerprint examiner found Randle’s fingerprints on the devices.
In April 2023, Randle deposited several forged checks bearing identifiers of mail theft victims at Regions Bank ATMs in the Mobile area. Surveillance cameras captured Randle making the fraudulent deposits.
After that, in May 2023, agents executed a search warrant at Randle’s house in Mobile, seizing hundreds of checks and pieces of stolen mail, fraudulent identifications bearing Randle’s picture and stolen identifying information, multiple debit/credit cards in the names of other people, a laptop, a notebook containing stolen identifying information, and a rifle.
Agents also seized and searched Randle’s cell phone, which contained evidence of his fraud scheme.
In addition to the three-year prison term, Senior United States District Judge William H. Steele ordered Randle to serve a five-year term of supervised release upon his release from prison, during which time he will be subject to credit restrictions, undergo drug testing, and receive mental health treatment.
The court did not impose a fine, but Judge Steele ordered Randle to pay $33,042.95 in victim restitution and $200 in special assessments.
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