LAS VEGAS, Nev. – A Las Vegas resident was charged today with possession of stolen mail — including two Clark County mail-in voter ballots and a Nevada Department of Employment, Training, and Rehabilitation (DETR) unemployment insurance benefits debit card — and possession of nearly two dozen debit and credit cards in other peoples’ names, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas A. Trutanich.
Francisco Luis McArthur, 41, was charged with one count of possession of stolen mail and one count of possession of 15 or more unauthorized access devices.
“Theft of U.S. mail is a serious federal crime, particularly when it occurs just days before a general election,” said U.S. Attorney Trutanich. “Our office looks forward to continuing working closely with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service to investigate and prosecute mail theft.”
According to allegations contained in the criminal complaint, on November 2, 2020, McArthur had in his possession a box containing over 100 pieces of mail not in McArthur’s name, including two Clark County Election Department Official Absentee Voter Ballots. In addition, McArthur also had in his possession:
- Seven credit and debit cards that had been fraudulently re-encoded with account numbers that did not match the number printed on the card;
- 16 credit and debit cards that were in the names of other people, including at least one debit card issued by DETR (the state agency that distributes unemployment insurance benefits);
- A card encoder; and
- Keys used to open United States Postal Service mailboxes. McArthur admitted that he used the keys to gain access to gated neighborhoods and community mailboxes.
If convicted, the maximum statutory penalties are: (a) five years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine for possession of stolen mail; and (b) 10 years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine for possession of 15 or more unauthorized access devices.
A complaint contains merely allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.