Source: United States Department of Justice News
STATESBORO, GA: A man who referred to himself and his girlfriend as a “modern-day Bonnie and Clyde” has been indicted on multiple federal charges for the unlawful use of information gleaned in thefts from mailboxes, while his girlfriend awaits sentencing after admitting to a related charge.
Michael H. Boatright, 33, of Chesterfield, S.C., is charged with Conspiracy to Commit Mail, Wire, and Bank Fraud; three counts of Theft of Mail; and one count of Aggravated Identity Theft, said David H. Estes, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. Stephanie Michelle Lea Napier, 29, also of Chesterfield, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty in March to an Information charging her with Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud.
“These charges demonstrate the dedication of our law enforcement partners in identifying and tracking down activities that started with swiping mail from mailboxes and led all the way to identity theft and financial fraud,” said U.S. Attorney Estes. “Those determined to be responsible for such illegal activities will be held accountable.”
As described in the indictment returned during the April 2022 term of the U.S. District Court Grand Jury, Boatwright and Napier called themselves the “Modern Day Bonnie and Clyde” in a period from about November 2020 to June 2021, as they were alleged to have driven around Georgia, South Carolina, and Florida to steal mail from mailboxes, capturing personal identifying information from the stolen mail, and then using that information to take over victims’ bank accounts.
The indictment alleges the two stole, or attempted to steal, “hundreds of thousands of dollars from their many victims, and caused substantial non-monetary harm and headaches for countless victims.” At least four victims referenced in the indictment are residents of the Statesboro, Ga., area, and agents from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the U.S. Secret Service have identified more than 100 potential victims in the three-state area, with actual and attempted financial losses of more than $500,000.
U.S. Attorney Estes applauded the work of the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, the Bulloch County Sheriff’s Office, and the Statesboro Police Department, which contributed to the federal investigation.
Criminal indictments contain only charges; defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The case is being investigated by the Jacksonville, Fla. and Savannah, Ga. offices of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the U.S. Secret Service, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan A. Porter.