US postal inspectors probe P.O. box break in

Copyright © 2008
Gallup Independent
By Jim Tiffin
Cibola County Bureau

GRANTS — Amanda McMurrey, U.S. Postal Service inspector at Fort Worth, Texas, said an investigation is under way into the break-in of five postal boxes at the San Rafael Post Office, allegedly by Bryce Franklin and Michael Lamothe, both 18.

The pair, with a third 18-year-old, Daniel Alexander, were arrested within the past two weeks in connection with that incident as well as burglarizing a car on New Mexico Highway 53 and an armed robbery of the Comfort Inn, 1551 E. Santa Fe Ave., Grants, on Oct. 8.

McMurrey said stealing mail, even possession of someone else’s mail is a federal felony punishable by up to five years, per piece of mail, as well as a fine, to be determined by the judge.

“Our inspectors in Albuquerque are looking at the evidence and will present it to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Albuquerque, which will the determine whether to file federal mail theft charges against the two men,” she said.
“They may refer the case to the district attorney’s office there in Grants and allow them to prosecute the case,” she said.

In addition to several pieces of mail, including at least one check, found in a green Chevrolet Cavalier, which Franklin and Lamothe were living out of, police also found books on how to steal identities and how to hack computers.

“They just needed money,” Grants Police Sgt. John Castaneda, spokesman for the department, said. “As far as we can tell, none of the three have a drug problem, they just needed money to live.”

Charges

Franklin and Lamothe are charged in connection with: Armed robbery; aggravated burglary, with a deadly weapon; receiving stolen property, dispose of over $500; false imprisonment; possession of burglary tools; tampering with evidence; criminal damage to property; and receiving stolen property, retaining over $500.

Alexander is charged in connection with: Armed robbery, aggravated burglary, false imprisonment, destruction of property and possession of stolen property.

Alexander was not involved in the burglarizing of the post office or the vehicle on N.M. 53, police said.

All three are still in custody in the Cibola County Detention Center, Lt. David Sisneros said, although bond has changed on all three of them

Both Alexander and Lamothe, who had a no bond hold, now have a $115,000 cash surety bond. Franklin also has a $115,000 bond, up from $100,000.

Of the $115,000, $100,000 is in connection with the armed robbery, the other $15,000 is for the rest of the charges, Sisneros said.

Castaneda credited the residents of Grants who called police identifying the Cavalier that Franklin and Lamothe were driving, with assisting police in capturing them.

A traffic stop on the car was made on Oct. 12 about 6 p.m., at Fourth and Leach streets in Grants. Franklin and Lamothe were identified, Castaneda said.

Castaneda said Sgt. Gilbert Gonzales and officers Bill Marion and Carl Ustupski made the stop and found the three stolen computer hard drives from the Comfort Inn in the car along with mail from the post office.

All three participated in robbing the Comfort Inn about 1:30 a.m., on Oct. 8, using a crowbar and a stun gun, breaking through a back door to the office, Castaneda said.

“They stunned the clerk, stole the hard drives and cash from the cash register,” he said. “We do not know how much money they took.”

To contact reporter Jim Tiffin call (505) 285-4560 or e-mail: jtiffin.independent@yahoo.com.