{"id":7163,"date":"2023-08-10T12:44:06","date_gmt":"2023-08-10T12:44:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/bloomingtonnews.online\/?p=7163"},"modified":"2023-08-16T17:14:54","modified_gmt":"2023-08-16T17:14:54","slug":"local-news-headlines-august-10-2023","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bloomingtonnews.online\/?p=7163","title":{"rendered":"Local News Headlines: August 10, 2023"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Former Mail Carrier and co-conspirator sentenced to Federal Prison for quarter-million-dollar Identity Theft and Fraud scheme using stolen mail<\/strong>
Robenson Fenelon, 31, and Squille Traxler, 30, of Indianapolis, have been sentenced to 54 months (4.5 years) and 15 months, respectively, in federal prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and theft of stolen mail. Fenelon additionally plead guilty to aggravated identity theft.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to court documents, from at least January 2019 through December 2020, Fenelon and Traxler conspired with mail carriers in a scheme to steal the identities of at least fifty victims in Fishers and Indianapolis and used that information to defraud financial institutions of a total of $244,222.93.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the time of the offenses, Traxler was employed as a Mail Carrier with the U.S. Postal Service. Fenelon recruited Traxler to assist in identifying potential identity theft targets. Fenelon and Traxler used Traxler\u2019s access to the mail to obtain the targets\u2019 identity information, including names, dates of birth, social security numbers, addresses, phone numbers, and bank account numbers. Fenelon then used that information to access and take over the victims\u2019 bank accounts or to open new bank accounts in the victims\u2019 names.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fenelon contacted the victims\u2019 banks, purporting to the victims or their relatives, and requested a new debit or credit card for the victim\u2019s account. For the newly established accounts, Fenelon applied online or over the phone for new accounts and credit cards. Fenlon and Traxler then stole the credit cards from the victims\u2019 mail. Fenelon and Traxler used the cards to withdraw cash and make personal purchases. They stole checks from the mail and deposited them into the bank accounts they controlled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The United States Postal Inspection Service and U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General investigated this case. The sentences were imposed by U.S. District Court Judge, Sarah Evans Barker. Judge Barker also ordered that Fenelon and Traxler be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for 3 and 2 years, respectively, following their release from federal prison and pay $244,222.93 in restitution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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United Way hosts Blue Jean Ball<\/strong>
You’re invited to the 1st Annual Blue Jean Ball as the Monroe County United Way kicks off their fall fund drive for Monroe County and South-Central Indiana.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Blue Jean Ball is a fun, memorable evening featuring live music by Cody Ikerd and the Sidewinders, delicious BBQ from the Great White Smoke (vegetarian option available), a signature fall flavor of Bruster’s ice cream, and a lively silent auction. All proceeds benefit United Way of Monroe County & United Way of South Central Indiana to help people in our region move from ‘poverty to possibility’.<\/p>\n\n\n\n