May 13, 2008

TWO PLEAD GUILTY TO COUNTERFEIT CURRENCY SCHEME

Couple Use Job at Post Office to Pass Fake 20-Dollar Bills

SACRAMENTO, Calif.—United States Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced today that ANDREA LYNN GRAVELLE, 38, and RICK LEE SNOW, 46, pleaded guilty this morning before United States District Court Judge Edward J. Garcia to felony conspiracy and counterfeit currency charges.

This case is the product of extensive combined investigation by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Secret Service Department, and the Stanislaus County Sheriff's Department.

According to Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Rodriguez, who is prosecuting the case, in March 2007, GRAVELLE conspired with her former boyfriend, SNOW, to accept— over the counter during the performance of her duties—counterfeit currency in exchange for cash and Postal Money Orders. The couple successfully passed counterfeit currency (phoney 20dollar Federal Reserve Notes) on March 19, 2007 through the Hughson Post Office. At the time, GRAVELLE was a 12-year veteran of the U.S. Postal Service (employed by the U.S. Postal Service as a Post Office Counter Clerk from early 1996 through January 2008). While GRAVELLE was a counter clerk at a number of rural (Stanislaus County) post offices, her primary duty station was the Hughson Post Office in Hughson, California.

The defendants’ sentencing hearing is scheduled for July 18, 2008. Each defendant faces a sentence of up to five years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, restitution, and supervised release of up to three years. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables and any applicable statutory sentencing factors.

SNOW was on California state parole during commission of the counterfeiting offense and was denied bail. He remains in custody. GRAVELLE has been ordered released subject to numerous conditions, including that she reside at a community confinement center pending sentencing proceedings.

more...

For more information on federal criminal defense law, contact the Law Offices of Joseph Shemaria of Los Angeles, California.