KC Reporter

A Joplin man has been sentenced in federal court for his role in a conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud by stealing mail from local residents.

Aaron M. Blake, 28, received a sentence of three years and seven months in federal prison without parole from U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool. Blake was also ordered to pay $12,482 in restitution to his victims.

Blake pleaded guilty on February 13, 2024, to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud, one count of bank fraud, and one count of aggravated identity theft.

Co-defendant Emily Anna-Lee Sturgis, 31, pleaded guilty on July 22, 2024, to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud and one count of bank fraud. She is awaiting sentencing.

According to court documents, Sturgis and Blake conspired from December 2022 until January 26, 2023, stealing mail from residential mailboxes and porches in Joplin. The stolen items included credit cards, debit cards, checks, cash, jewelry, and documents with personal identifying information such as names, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, and bank account information. Among the stolen items were Pandora jewelry from one victim’s mailbox and a Christmas card containing a $500 check from another victim’s mailbox. They used the stolen credit cards for unauthorized purchases.

Blake used the stolen personal information with Sturgis's assistance to open fraudulent credit card accounts and bank accounts under the names obtained through their scheme. These accounts were then used for unlawful purchases.

Sturgis and Blake attempted to obtain at least $13,845 but successfully acquired at least $12,482 from their victims.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Casey Clark. The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service along with the Carthage Police Department and the Jasper County Sheriff’s Department.