MOBILE, AL — This is an official press release from the U.S. Department of Justice (USAO - Alabama, Southern), published as received.
MOBILE, AL – Two defendants were sentenced to 69 months and 40 months in prison, respectively, for conspiring to commit bank fraud involving stolen mail, aggravated identity theft, and illegal firearms possession.
According to court documents, EW Nelson, 39, of Coden, and Thomas William Peters, III, 45, of Irvington, participated in a conspiracy to commit bank fraud involving items stolen from the U.S. mail between March 2024 and May 2024. Nelson and Peters each pleaded guilty and admitted that they stole U.S. mail to obtain checks, credit cards, debit cards, money orders, and other personal identifying information of victims, which they used to generate counterfeited and forged financial instruments and commit fraudulent transactions to obtain illicit profits.
In April 2024, Peters and Nelson worked together to conduct several fraudulent transactions at banks in Tillman’s Corner and Theodore using stolen identifying information of mail-theft victims. Bank surveillance video captured Peters making the unauthorized transactions.
On May 9, 2024, a business in Mobile reported that a white Chevrolet Equinox had been captured on video stealing mail from the business. Three days later, Mobile County Sheriff’s Office deputies attempted to conduct a traffic stop of the Equinox, which Peters was driving. Peters led deputies on a high-speed chase, crashing the Equinox in a ditch in south Mobile County. Deputies arrested Peters and seized two loaded pistols, drug paraphernalia, several stolen checks, altered money orders, and deposit slips and receipts from the Equinox. Peters admitted that he illegally possessed the guns after having previously been convicted of several felonies, mostly theft and drug-related offenses. Peters also admitted to engaging in a fraud scheme with Nelson, who manufactured the counterfeited financial instruments that Peters fraudulently deposited at various banks.
On May 15, 2024, agents executed a search warrant at Nelson’s residence in Coden. There, agents located and seized stolen mail, driver’s licenses, debit cards, credit cards, and other evidence of fraud. Nelson admitted to agents that he stole mail and manufactured counterfeited checks. Evidence extracted from phones and laptops belonging to Nelson and Peters confirmed their extensive involvement in mail theft and bank fraud.
U.S. District Judge Kristi K. DuBose sentenced Nelson to serve 69 months in prison and Peters to serve 40 months in prison. In addition to the prison terms, the court ordered Nelson and Peters to pay $2,817.65 in victim restitution. Upon their release from prison, Nelson and Peters will each serve five-year terms of supervised release, during which time they will be subject to drug testing and treatment and credit restrictions. The court also ordered the defendants to pay a total of $500 in special assessments.
U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement.
The United States Postal Inspection Service, the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office, the Mobile Police Department, and the Jackson Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Roller prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
