May 21, 2021 - FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury brought a 14-count indictment against Christopher Lawrence Smith, 34, of Bakersfield, charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm, bank fraud, use and possession of unauthorized debit and credit cards, aggravated identity theft, possession of stolen mail, and unauthorized possession of Postal Service keys and locks, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to the indictment, Smith unlawfully possessed a 12-gauge shotgun, and from March 2020 through July 2020, he obtained hundreds of pieces of stolen mail that included checks, debit cards, and credit cards belonging to other individuals and businesses. Smith then altered and forged the stolen checks, and used the stolen debit cards to deposit the checks into victims’ bank accounts and make cash withdrawals. Smith also used the stolen debit cards and credit cards to make unauthorized purchases at retail stores. Smith’s scheme caused at least $20,000 in fraudulent transactions to be made on the victims’ bank accounts, debit cards, and credit cards.

This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joe Barton and Vincente Tennerelli are prosecuting the case.

If convicted, Smith faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 for each of the felon in possession of a firearm, use and possession of unauthorized debit and credit cards, and unauthorized possession of Postal Service keys or locks charges, a maximum statutory penalty of 30 years in prison and a fine of up to $1 million for each of the bank fraud charges, a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 for the possession of stolen mail charge, and a mandatory two-year sentence consecutive to other counts and a fine of up to $250,000 for each of the aggravated identity theft charges. Any sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations. Smith is presumed innocent until and unless he is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Source: DOJ Release