Press Release
Contact:
NILS KESSLER
ASSISTANT U.S. ATTORNEY
PHONE: (616) 456-2404
THREE RECEIVE PRISON SENTENCES FOR THEFT OF THE MAIL
FRIDAY, JUNE 6, 2008 -
Grand Rapids, Michigan – Three Kent County residents have been sentenced to federal
prison for their roles in a five-month long conspiracy to steal mail from residential mailboxes,
U.S. Attorney Charles R. Gross announced today. On June 6, 2008, U.S. District Judge Janet
Neff sentenced Rachel Bushey, 27, of Grand Rapids to a prison term of 27 months. Earlier,
Judge Neff sentenced Bushey’s co-conspirators – Amanda Grube, 25, of Grand Rapids and
Michael Cole, 30, of Kentwood - to prison terms of 27 and 24 months respectively. Over the life
of the conspiracy mail was stolen from postal patrons in Grand Rapids, Kentwood, Wyoming,
and Granville.
In addition to time in prison, Judge Neff also ordered each defendant to pay restitution of over $6,000, representing losses associated with stolen and altered checks taken from the mail by Cole, Grube and Bushey. At sentencing Judge Neff noted that mail was stolen from more than 70 separate victims, and that in many cases these individuals suffered harmful impacts by the loss of personal checks and other mail. Judge Neff also indicated that her decision to impose significant prison sentences in this case was motivated in part by a need to deter others from committing similar crimes -- crimes that undermine the public’s continuing confidence in the security of the U.S. Postal Service.
U.S. Attorney Gross praised the work of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, which worked closely with local police departments and used fingerprint technology and store and bank surveillance videos to identify the perpetrators. “People have a right to expect that when they use the U.S. Mail for commercial purposes, or just to send someone a birthday gift, that their letters and cards will make it to the intended recipient without interruption. When that process breaks down because of criminal interference, we will prosecute,” said U.S. Attorney Gross.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nils Kessler.
END
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