FRESNO, Calif. (KMJ) — A stolen check scheme has landed a local man in prison.
People in Fresno were sending checks to a variety of businesses and individuals and they were never getting there.
That's because a man named Bee Yang was robbing the blue street-corner drop boxes before the post office could pick up the mail, according to Assistant U.S. Attorney, Patrick Delahunty, who said Yang pleaded guilty and has been sentenced to 20 months.
The case began when Yang was stopped by Fresno Police.
"When they searched his vehicle, they found a large amount of stolen mail inside of his vehicle including some devices that are commonly associated with stealing mail," Delahunty said.
Court documents show Yang was in possession of stolen mail that included stolen checks totaling approximately $36,000 from at least 250 victims.
Additionally, Yang was also in possession of items used to steal mail and chemicals that could be used to erase previously written checks so that the payee and amount of a check could be rewritten.
