Postal employees charged in $24M stolen-check scheme

HOUSTON - Five Houston residents have been indicted for conspiracy to commit bank fraud in a scheme that involved the theft of checks from the U.S. mail.

Tryston Tremaine Vaughn, 28; Malcolm Tiree Joubert, 35; and Alyssa Nadine Bryant, 27; are all expected to make their initial appearances before U.S. Magistrate Judge Yvonne Y. Ho at 10:00 a.m today. Catherine Clauzelle Kilpatrick, 29, made her appearance Aug. 24. Also charged is Drakkor Jamar Alexander, 34, who is not as yet in custody.

According to the indictment, Vaughn allegedly recruited U.S. Postal Service mail carriers to steal checks from the mail along their routes. Vaughn and others allegedly purchased the stolen checks from postal employees and resold them to buyers through Telegram. They then shipped the stolen checks to buyers, according to the indictment.

Telegram is a cloud-based, cross-platform social media, and instant messaging service.

Kilpatrick, Joubert, and Alexander worked as USPS mail carriers when Vaughn allegedly recruited them to steal mail.

The charges allege the scheme involved approximately $24 million in stolen checks.

If convicted, each faces up to 30 years in federal prison for conspiracy to commit bank fraud and a possible $1 million maximum fine. Kilpatrick, Joubert, and Alexander also face up to five years for theft by a postal employee and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.

FBI, USPS - Office of Inspector General, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Department of Treasury - OIG, Treasury Inspector for Tax Administration, Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office, and police departments in Houston and Stafford conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Celia Moyer is prosecuting the case.

An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.