Oklahoma City, Oklahoma - BIRDIE JO HOAKS and BECKY JO HOAKS, both 47, of Choctaw, Oklahoma, each pled guilty today to one count of conspiracy to commit theft of postage stamps, announced Mark A. Yancey, United States Attorney for the Western District of Oklahoma.
On May 18, 2017, the Hoaks sisters, who are identical twins, were indicted on one count of conspiracy and one count each of theft of government property. The Indictment alleges that from June 2016 through February 2017, they opened personal checking accounts at various banks, using small cash deposits ranging from $5 to $200. It is alleged that, working together, they wrote dozens of bogus checks - i.e., checks backed by insufficient funds and checks written on closed accounts - at United States post offices and contract postal units throughout the Western District of Oklahoma to obtain thousands of U.S. postage stamps.
The sisters have extensive criminal histories of fraud spanning more than two decades and jurisdictions from New York to California. In May 2007, for example, they were featured in a Chicago Tribune article entitled "The Incredible True-Life (mis)Adventures of the Hoaks Sisters: Deception, Confusion, Theft, Betrayal, Foot Surgery." And in July 2012, Birdie Jo Hoaks was the subject of a Dateline NBC investigative report. These are their first federal criminal convictions.
As part of their pleas, the Hoaks sisters agreed to pay restitution to the United States Postal Service in the amount of $58,958.64 and a combined $3,034.74 to four other victims.
At sentencing, they face up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. A sentencing date will be set by the court in approximately 90 days. Reference is made to the Indictment and other public filings for further information.
This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda Maxfield Green is prosecuting the case.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
