Three Individuals Charged for Roles in Anchorage Mail Theft Ring

Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced that three Anchorage residents have been charged in an indictment alleging they conspired to obtain checks stolen from the mail, primarily credit card convenience checks, and then negotiated the stolen checks at different banks in Anchorage using stolen identities and bank accounts associated with the stolen identities. 

Amber Hecker, 34, Ronald Hecker, 35, and Richard Hoglin, 34, all of Anchorage, were charged in a 22-count indictment that includes charges of conspiracy, bank fraud, possession of stolen mail, and aggravated identity theft. 

According to the indictment, from April 2017 to April 2018, Amber Hecker, Ronald Hecker, and Richard Hoglin, negotiated checks stolen from the mail that were falsely altered and forged.  The stolen checks were falsely made out to make the payee a separate stolen identity that was used by the defendants to negotiate the stolen checks.  The defendants also used bank accounts associated with the stolen identities to negotiate the stolen and forged checks.  It is further alleged that the defendants possessed mail stolen from over 500 victims, including financial records, social security cards, identification cards, and credit cards.   

Amber Hecker and Ronald Hecker are scheduled to appear in court today at 1:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m., respectively, in Courtroom 6 of the Federal Courthouse.  There will be a media availability at approximately 2:00 p.m., immediately following the 1:30 p.m. hearing.  Representatives from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Anchorage Police Department, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and Anchorage Airport Police will be present. 

The law provides for a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison and a fine of $1 million, or both. Under federal sentencing statutes, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendants.         

The Anchorage Police Department and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, along with the Anchorage Airport Police, conducted the investigation leading to the indictment in this case.  This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Aunnie Steward.

An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.