Florida man admits stealing mail from churches across Missouri and Illinois
A man from Florida admitted on Tuesday to stealing checks from church mailboxes across Missouri and Illinois, including one church in St. Peters.
ST. LOUIS - A man from Florida admitted on Tuesday to stealing checks from church mailboxes across Missouri and Illinois, including one church in St. Peters.
According to the U.S. Attorney's Office of the Eastern District of Missouri, Lourdes Mario Anton, 20, admitted to stealing mail from a church's mailbox in Missouri after he and a juvenile were caught on video on October 3.
The following day, Anton was stopped by police after he was located in the vehicle spotted on the October 3 surveillance video.
When the officers searched the white Toyota minivan, they found a tool used to steal the mail and a receipt for a FedEx package that Anton addressed to himself in Hollywood, Florida.
When investigators intercepted the package, they found 27 checks worth $14,584 that had been sent to or from religious organizations in eastern Missouri and southern Illinois, including a church in St. Peters, Missouri.
Anton pleaded guilty to one count of theft of mail. He is scheduled to be sentenced on March 21, 2025. The U.S. Attorney's Office said mail theft charges carry a potential penalty of up to five years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both.
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