HARRISBURG, Pa. — A New York City man will serve two months in prison and must pay $19,138.01 in restitution after pleading guilty to charges of aggravated identity theft in U.S. Middle District Court, according to U.S. Attorney John C. Gurganus.
Josue Peguero, 22, of Bronx, conspired with two other people to tamper with a U.S. mailbox in the borough of Steelton on Jan. 4, 2020.
One suspect used an item to "fish" into the mailbox opening, while Peguero stood nearby serving as a lookout. The third suspect drove a getaway vehicle, according to Gurganus.
The police made a traffic stop and found the Peguero and the other two in possession of numerous debit cards in others’ names. They also had an ATM withdrawal receipt for one debit card and a $2,500 deposit receipt for a different debit card in their possession, police say. The receipts matched debit cards in the defendants’ possession.
The cards did not match any of the defendant’s names, police said.
The United States Postal Inspection Service conducted a follow up investigation that established Peguero and the other suspects had conducted multiple fraudulent debit card transactions in New York City just prior to traveling to the Harrisburg area to fish into mailboxes and obtain stolen checks, Gurganus said.
These transactions involved the use of stolen, altered checks and debit cards belonging to other people, according to Gurganus.
The investigation further determined that the three had been involved in the stealing of checks and the depositing of these checks in a fraudulent manner for several months leading up to the time of their arrest.
The other two suspects also pleaded guilty to aggravated identity theft; one has been sentenced and the other is pending sentencing, according to Gurganus.
