Berwick man sentenced for function in “fishing scheme”

Mar. 12—A Berwick man was sentenced to spend 4 years in federal jail for his function in what attorneys known as a “mail fishing scheme.”

Justin William Davis, 39, was sentenced in federal courtroom on Thursday by U.S. District Choose Malachy E. Mannion on aggravated identification theft prices, based on a press launch from U.S. Legal professional for the Center District Gerard Karam.

Davis’s preliminary sentence was 24 months in federal jail; Choose Mannion tacked on one other 24 months on account of the truth that Davis “engaged on this new prison conduct” whereas already out on supervised launch for an additional, related prison case, based on the discharge.

In all, Davis was sentenced to 48 months’ federal imprisonment.

Based on the discharge, people concerned on this scheme used “improvised units” to drag mail from U.S. Put up Workplace assortment bins, within the hopes of stealing checks or different valuables.

The stolen objects have been then “washed,” based on the discharge, after which re-written to mirror a brand new payee and a brand new, larger financial quantity, earlier than being cashed or deposited into the financial institution accounts of the scheme’s conspirators.

Davis orchestrated the “fishing” scheme between roughly Aug. 19, 2021 and Nov. 2, 2021, based on the Center District.

With the assistance of a gaggle of associates who have been paid to money the checks in numerous banks throughout Luzerne and Lackawanna counties, Davis was concerned within the fishing, washing and fraudulent negotiation of roughly 70 checks.

He was in a position to re-negotiate the checks and internet himself a complete of $49,148.48., based on the discharge. Davis was ordered to pay restitution in that quantity to the sufferer banks who reimbursed the individuals whose checks have been stolen and fradulently negotiated.