OSHKOSH, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — A third county has filed criminal charges against a pair accused of stealing mail.
Derrell Edwards and Dionta Bratcher each face one count of theft of 10-to-29 pieces of mail for allegedly stealing mail from eight businesses in Fox Crossing in January.
Bratcher and Edwards 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.
The two were arrested after a traffic stop in Manitowoc. Authorities found mail addressed to businesses across the area. Discarded mail was also found in Outagamie County.
“The cell tower analysis showed that on 1/15/23, at 8:11 PM, 8:12 PM, and 9:53 PM, the phone was pinging in the area of American Drive in Fox Crossing. At 8:43 PM and 9:04 PM, the phone pinged in the area where the discarded mail was located in Little Chute. At various times from 10:57 PM on 1/22/23 to 1:47 AM on 1/23/23, the phone pinged at the same two areas. All of the Fox Crossing businesses referenced in this affidavit as having mail stolen are located in Winnebago County, Wisconsin,” the Winnebago County criminal complaint states.
In Winnebago County, Bratcher has an initial appearance July 27, while Edwards will be in court July 28.
In Manitowoc County, Bratcher was sentenced to six months in jail. No hearings are currently scheduled for Edwards.
In Brown County, Bratcher has a plea hearing July 31 . Edwards has a status conference Tuesday.
Both are also expected to face charges in Outagamie County, but nothing has been filed yet there.
