Houston, TX — Five Houston residents have been federally indicted in an alleged scheme involving approximately $24 million in checks stolen from the U.S. mail, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas.
Federal prosecutors identified the defendants as Tryston Tremaine Vaughn, 28; Malcolm Tiree Joubert, 35; Alyssa Nadine Bryant, 27; Catherine Clauzelle Kilpatrick, 29; and Drakkor Jamar Alexander, 34. All five are charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud.
According to the indictment, Vaughn allegedly recruited U.S. Postal Service mail carriers to steal checks from mail along their delivery routes. Prosecutors allege Vaughn and others purchased the stolen checks from postal employees, resold them to buyers through Telegram and then shipped the checks to those buyers.
Kilpatrick, Joubert and Alexander were working as USPS mail carriers when they were allegedly recruited to steal mail, prosecutors said.
As of the U.S. Attorney’s Office announcement, Alexander was not in custody. Kilpatrick had made her initial court appearance August 24, while Vaughn, Joubert and Bryant were expected to appear before a federal magistrate judge August 25.
If convicted of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, each defendant faces up to 30 years in federal prison and a possible fine of up to $1 million. Kilpatrick, Joubert and Alexander also face charges of theft by a postal employee, which carry a potential sentence of up to five years and a possible $250,000 fine.
The investigation involved the FBI, USPS Office of Inspector General, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Department of the Treasury Office of Inspector General, Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office, Houston Police Department and Stafford Police Department.
An indictment is an accusation and not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty through due process of law.