5 Paterson Men Admit Stealing $300K In Checks From NJ Mailboxes

PASSAIC COUNTY, NJ — Five Paterson men Thursday admitted their role in a scheme to steal at least $300,000 in checks from dozens of United States Postal Service mailboxes throughout North Jersey, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.

Jerry Lake-Rodriguez, 26, pleaded guilty in Newark federal court to an indictment charging him with conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft, Carpenito said in a news release.

Sentencing for Lake-Rodriguez is scheduled for Feb. 6.

Four co-defendants, Ismael Alicea Jr., 26, Yerrisson Garcia-Rodriguez, 24, Brayan Ulloa-Ulloa, 24, and Johan Lake -Rodriguez, 27, each previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud.

A sixth person was also charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud, Jefferson Quezada, 21, of Paterson.

Conspiracy to commit bank fraud has a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine. The aggravated identity theft charge carries a mandatory two-year prison term.

The men stole checks from USPS mailboxes in Passaic, Bergen, Morris, Essex, and Middlesex counties, and elsewhere, and fraudulently deposited them into various bank accounts, often within a day of being stolen, Carpenito previously said.

Law enforcement authorities identified at least $300,000 worth of stolen checks that were deposited into bank accounts.

Some of the men broke into the mailboxes using pry bars, usually late at night, Carpenito said.

Related: 6 From Paterson Allegedly Stole $300K In Checks From NJ Mailboxes

Email: daniel.hubbard@patch.com