SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Cody Patrick Cannon, 31, a transient, pleaded guilty yesterday to bank fraud, aggravated identity theft, and possession of reproduced U.S. Postal Service keys, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, between January and August 2018, Cannon engaged in a scheme in which he used counterfeit U.S. Postal Service keys to open apartment complex mailboxes throughout Northern California and steal mail. Cannon and others involved in the scheme then harvested personally identifiable information, financial information, and credit and debit cards. They defrauded banks by using the stolen cards to purchase goods and withdraw cash from ATMs in Vacaville, Folsom, Rocklin, and Rancho Cordova.
On Aug. 2, 2018, Cannon and his co-defendant, Candice Freitas, were arrested at their RV parked in a hotel parking lot in Rancho Cordova. They were found to be in possession of stolen mail, checks, multiple stolen and fake California driver’s licenses, at least two passports bearing the names of others, and at least seven counterfeit U.S. Postal Service mail keys.
This case is the product of an investigation by the United States Postal Inspection Service, Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department, Folsom Police Department, and Vacaville Police Department. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert J. Artuz is prosecuting the case.
Cannon remains in custody pending sentencing. Cannon’s co-defendant, Candice Freitas, has pleaded not guilty to the charges in the indictment and she remains in custody pending trial. The charges against her are only allegations; she is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Cannon is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Troy L. Nunley on Oct. 3, 2019. He faces a maximum statutory penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine for bank fraud. He also faces a mandatory two-year consecutive sentence for aggravated identity theft. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
