COLUMBIA, SC (WBTW) – On Wednesday, US Attorney Beth Drake released a woman from Florence pleaded guilty to stealing checks from the mail and altering them for her personal gain.
According to a press release, 27-year-old Crystal Lynn Norris pleaded guilty to conspiracy to manufacture and pass forged and counterfeited securities.
In the hearing, officials learned Norris was involved in a conspiracy to manufacture and pass forged and counterfeited securities of organizations from November through December of 2016.
Norris and another person stole mail from mailboxes at various homes in Florence and Darlington Counties, looking for checks. Norris either altered the stolen checks by substituting herself as the payee, or she used real bank account and routing numbers from the stolen checks to make counterfeit checks.
Norris then went to banks in Florence and Easley and presented the counterfeited checks for payment.
A judge accepted the plea and will impose sentence after he has reviewed documents from the U.S. Probation Office. The maximum penalty Norris can receive is imprisonment for five years and a fine of $250,000.
The case was investigated by agents of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service with the assistance of the Florence County Sheriff’s Office, the Florence Police Department and the Easley Police Department.
