MANITOWOC, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – One of the suspects in a multi-county mail theft and fraud scheme pleaded not guilty to Manitowoc County charges Thursday.
Derrell Edwards, 28, pleaded not guilty to 18 misdemeanor counts of theft of movable property worth less than $2,500, along with one count of possession of THC. No trial date was set. He returns to court May 5.
Edwards and Dionta Bratcher, 28, also face felony charges in Brown County, and are expected to face charges in Outagamie County, as well. Overall, the pair are suspected of stealing more than $600,000 from area businesses by stealing mail, then manipulating the checks and banking information to steal from those accounts.
Edwards is awaiting an arraignment date in Brown County. Bratcher has a preliminary hearing April 10 in Brown County, and a scheduling conference May 10 in Manitowoc County.
In order for businesses to protect themselves against mail theft, deputies strongly recommend taking the following steps:
- Take checks directly to a USPS collection locations
- Sign up for Informed Delivery through USPS
- Request for mail NOT to be delivered on weekends (This can be done directly with your mail carrier according to the USPS)
- Install a USPS approved lockable mailbox
- Install CCTV systems to deter criminal activity
