Mobile Courant

A Mobile man was sentenced to 36 months in prison for bank fraud and aggravated identity theft involving checks stolen from the mail.

According to court documents, Jonathan Taylor Randle, 32, pleaded guilty to defrauding numerous banks and credit unions between October 2022 and May 2023. Randle admitted he carried out the scheme by stealing checks from the mail, producing counterfeit and forged checks, making false identification documents, and conducting unlawful deposits, transfers, and withdrawals.

In March 2023, federal agents began receiving complaints about someone “fishing” mail from U.S. postal collection boxes using tools covered in rat trap glue. Agents recovered several of these “fishing” devices from tubs inside postal collection boxes at post offices in Mobile, Alabama, and Escatawpa, Mississippi. A fingerprint examiner found Randle’s fingerprints on the devices.

In April 2023, Randle deposited several forged checks bearing identifiers of mail-theft victims at Regions Bank ATMs in the Mobile area. Surveillance cameras captured Randle making the fraudulent deposits. Thereafter, in May 2023, agents executed a search warrant at Randle’s house in Mobile, seizing hundreds of checks and pieces of stolen mail, fraudulent identifications bearing Randle’s picture and stolen identifying information, multiple debit/credit cards in the names of other people, a laptop, a notebook containing stolen identifying information, and a rifle. Agents also seized and searched Randle’s cell phone which contained evidence of his fraud scheme.

In addition to the three-year prison term, Senior United States District Judge William H. Steele ordered Randle to serve a five-year term of supervised release upon his release from prison. During this time he will be subject to credit restrictions, undergo drug testing, and receive mental health treatment. The court did not impose a fine but Judge Steele ordered Randle to pay $33,042.95 in victim restitution and $200 in special assessments.

U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement.

The U.S. Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Secret Service, and Mobile Police Department investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Roller prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.