Everett arrest cracks large Snohomish mail-theft ring

Lynnwood police arrested 37-year-old Jeffery Mann in Everett on May 20 after a weeks-long investigation into mail thefts across Snohomish County, according to police and court documents. Investigators say Mann used counterfeit postal keys to open cluster mailboxes in Arlington, Marysville and Stanwood, then used stolen mail and personal information in fraud schemes. A judge found probable cause for identity theft and forgery and ordered him held on $100,000 bail, local television reports said. Police said the number of victims could reach 80 to 100 or more as agencies across the county compare cases. ### How did investigators say the thefts worked? Court documents cited by KING 5 said detectives believe Mann targeted cluster mailboxes with counterfeit postal keys and removed mail in bulk. Lynnwood police released video that they said showed him opening a bank of mailboxes and placing stolen mail into a bag. (kiro7.com) Commander Joe Dickinson of the Lynnwood Police Department told KIRO 7 that the case widened after an earlier arrest. “Through the course of that arrest an investigation yielded a lot of fraud, then the rabbit hole just got deeper,” Dickinson said. He told the station investigators kept finding additional victims in Lynnwood, Bothell and other communities. (kiro7.com) ### Why do police say the case spread beyond stolen envelopes? Lynnwood police told KING 5 that stolen mail in the investigation was later linked to bank withdrawals, rental car activity, a U-Haul rental, stolen checks and fake identification documents. Detectives said the suspect altered identification cards and used victims’ personal information to access accounts and make transactions. (kiro7.com) A March 27 case in Everett was tied to a $4,000 withdrawal from a BECU account using a stolen driver’s license, according to court documents summarized by KING 5. Detectives said the victim’s replacement license had been stolen from a Stanwood mailbox before the withdrawal. In a separate April 6 case in Lynnwood, police said a man tried to use a fake ID at a Bank of America branch. (king5.com) ### What was the Bothell officer identity case? On April 7, investigators said, a man tried to rent a vehicle from an Enterprise branch on Bothell Way Northeast using identification belonging to an active Bothell police officer. KING 5 reported that an employee called police because the customer did not appear to match the ID. (king5.com) Court documents said the reservation had been made in the officer’s name after the officer’s Washington driver’s license was stolen from the mail. Police later found a driver’s license bearing the officer’s name but altered with the suspect’s Department of Licensing photo, according to KING 5. The Bothell case was referred to King County prosecutors for possible charges. (king5.com) ### Why are police saying he posed as a postal worker? KIRO 7 reported that investigators said Mann at times disguised himself as a U.S. Postal Service worker. Dickinson told the station it appeared the suspect had obtained a USPS jacket or uniform and presented himself that way during at least one fraud transaction. KOMO also reported that investigators alleged he wore USPS clothing during some thefts. (king5.com) The U.S. Postal Inspection Service says mail theft and identity fraud often intersect and advises customers not to leave sensitive mail in boxes overnight, particularly checks or new credit cards. That guidance does not describe this case specifically, but it matches the kinds of thefts local investigators say they are tracing here. ### How large do police think the victim list could become? (kiro7.com) KIRO 7 reported that Dickinson put the count at “upward of 80 to 100, maybe more,” adding that investigators were still sorting through cases involving multiple cities and agencies. KOMO described Mann as a “major player” in a broader mail-theft ring, attributing that characterization to police. (uspis.gov) The 37-year-old was arrested near the Snohomish County jail in downtown Everett, according to KING 5 and KOMO. KOMO reported detectives recovered suspected methamphetamine, stolen mail, counterfeit postal keys and fraudulent ID documents during the arrest, though the station said drug-related counts were dropped in court on May 21. (kiro7.com) ### What happens next in court? A Snohomish County judge found probable cause on felony allegations tied to cases in Stanwood, Lynnwood and elsewhere in the county, KOMO reported. KIRO 7 said prosecutors were expected to file charges by Friday, May 22. Snohomish County makes court records and jail information available through county and state court systems, which are the next public places to watch for formal charges, hearing dates and any amended counts. (king5.com) (snohomishcountywa.gov) (kiro7.com)