Oakdale Man Found Guilty of Mail Theft, Bank Fraud and Identity Theft

A federal jury found a 40-year-old Oakdale man guilty of stealing mail and using the information to open bank accounts and get cash, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Ricky W. Mariano was convicted Friday, March 16, of two counts of theft and receipt of stolen mail, two counts of destruction of letter boxes, one count of bank fraud conspiracy, one count of bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft.

Mariano stole mail from Washington, Dakota and Ramsey counties, according to the indictment and information presented at trial, the release says. He used personal information, checks and credit cards in the mail to steal money, the release says. He and co-defendants used chemicals to erase certain details from checks—a process called check washing— to rewrite the checks at retail stores in Minnesota and Wisconsin, according to the release.

He also destroyed blue mail collection boxes between December of 2010 and Jan. 31, 2011, the release says.

He faces a possible maximum penalty of 30 years in prison on each count of bank fraud and bank fraud conspiracy, according to the release, five years for each count of mail theft, three years for each count of destruction of letter boxes and a mandatory minimum penalty of two years for each count of aggravated identity theft.

Nine co-defendants pleaded guilty for their participation in the crimes, according to the release.