May 14-A Berwick man pleaded guilty Friday in federal court to aggravated identity theft for his part in what authorities said was a "fishing" scheme involving mailboxes.
The charge against Justin William Davis, 39, carries a mandatory two-year prison sentence and a maximum fine of $250,000, the U.S. Attorney's Office said.
Davis entered his plea before U.S. District Judge Malachy Mannion in Scranton.
U.S. Attorney John Gurganus said Davis and others used improvised devices to pull mail from U.S. Postal Service collection boxes in an attempt to steal checks and personal information. Davis attempted to use the name and bank account number of another person to deposit into another account a check he "fished" from a mailbox, Gurganus said.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey St. John.
