BENTON, Ill. – A district court judge sentenced a Calumet City man to 154 months’ imprisonment for engaging in a bank fraud scheme using mail stolen from blue collection boxes in Carbondale.

Isaiah Jordan, 31, pleaded guilty in June to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, one count of aggravated identity theft, one count of theft of mail and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering.

“Communities depend on the U.S. Postal Service to communicate with loved ones and pay bills, but when thieves target collection boxes to steal checks and disrupt the public mailing system, the effects are evident throughout the region,” said U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe. “I commend the Carbondale Police Department and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service for leading this complex investigation and ultimately holding these criminals accountable.”

Charged co-conspirators Brian R. Nevils, 25, of South Holland, and Quentin S. Abrams, 25, of Charleston, each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and one count of mail theft. The federal judge sentenced Abrams to time served in April and sentenced Nevils to 18 months’ imprisonment in September.

According to court documents, the defendants used a stolen master key to gain access to mail collection boxes throughout Carbondale. The conspiracy involved altering the payees and amounts of stolen checks, depositing the checks into bank accounts of co-conspirators and then transferring the funds into their own accounts or of their associates.

“This sentencing illustrates that individuals who engage in mail theft will be held accountable for their actions.  The Postal Inspection Service will continue to partner with other law enforcement agencies to collectively pursue criminals who victimize postal customers,” stated Inspector in Charge, Ruth Mendonça, who leads the Chicago Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, which includes the St. Louis Field Office.

Nevils, Jordan and Abrams stole and altered more than 100 checks sent by more than 50 individuals through USPS from March through July 2020. The total estimated loss is $396,971.83.

“Our success as law enforcement officers relies in part on the strong partnerships between local and federal agencies in investigating complex crimes that affect our community,” said Carbondale Police Chief and Interim City Manager Stan Reno. “The collaboration between the Carbondale Police Department, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Illinois, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service was key in bringing these offenders to justice. Together, we are committed to ensuring the safety and integrity of our city, protecting both our residents and our institutions from fraudulent schemes.”

Following imprisonment, Jordan was ordered to serve three years of supervised release. In addition, the Court ordered Jordan to pay $396,971.83 in restitution to the affected banks.

Demarius L. Flakes, 31, of Blue Island, was also charged in the indictment with one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, three counts of mail theft, six counts of bank fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. He is in custody in Cook County on separate charges.

An indictment is a formal charge against a defendant. Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be innocent of a charge until proved guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to the satisfaction of a jury.

The Carbondale Police Department and the U.S. Postal Service jointly investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Verseman prosecuted the case.