Franklin County Woman Sentenced for Using Stolen Mail to Commit Fraud

ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Joshua M. Divine on Wednesday sentenced a woman who used stolen mail in a bid to steal nearly $80,000 from an elderly woman to 39 months in prison, fined her $6,500 and ordered her to repay her victim.

Miranda Burgess, 30, was caught with stolen mail belonging to more than 70 individuals and entities in May of 2022. Investigators soon discovered that she’d used mail belonging to an 89-year-old woman to create counterfeit checks and establish multiple online financial accounts to steal $27,470 from her. Burgess tried to transfer another $50,000 to herself, but the money was later returned to the victim.

Burgess was aware that her victim was nearly 90, Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Ladendorf wrote in a sentencing memo. Her crimes not only affected that victim, but also 73 others who did not receive their mail or had to resend mail that they sent to others, reducing public confidence in the U.S. Mail.

Burgess, of Franklin County, Missouri, pleaded guilty in August to 13 counts: one count of aggravated identity theft, three counts of possession of stolen mail and nine counts of bank fraud.

The U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Arnold Police Department and the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Ladendorf prosecuted the case.