A federal jury has found Deizman Deandre Ellis, 24, of McCalla, Alabama, guilty on five charges related to a conspiracy involving stolen checks. The verdict was announced by U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona following three days of testimony before U.S. District Court Judge Madeline H. Haikala.
Ellis was convicted of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank fraud, aggravated identity theft, possession of stolen mail, and fraudulent use of unauthorized access devices.
Evidence presented at trial showed that Ellis played a leading role in a scheme that took place from August 2023 to February 2024. During this period, business and personal checks were stolen from blue postal boxes in the Tuscaloosa area using stolen postal keys. Ellis and his co-conspirators deposited these checks into various bank accounts and then withdrew cash.
Eric Bernard Carter, Jr., 27, of Birmingham, Alabama, who participated in the scheme with Ellis, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud earlier this year.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service with support from the Northport Police Department, Rainbow City Police Department, and Tuscaloosa Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brett A. Janich and William R. McComb are prosecuting the case.
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