RONALD RICHARD CREIGHTON SENTENCED TO FEDERAL PRISON FOR AGGRAVATED IDENTITY THEFT AND MAIL THEFT
DENVER – Ronald Richard Creighton was sentenced on January 28, 2010 by U.S. District Court Judge Walker D. Miller to serve a total of 164 months (over 13 years) in federal prison for crimes related to identity theft, mail theft, and forged counterfeit checks. Creighton was also ordered to pay restitution totaling $4,949.07 to the victims of his crime. He was also ordered to pay a $1,300 special assessment to a court mandated general victims of crime fund. Creighton appeared at the sentencing hearing in custody, and was remanded immediately following the hearing.
Ronald Richard Creighton was first charged by Criminal Complaint on July 13, 2006. After an extensive pre-trial motions, the defendant was found guilty by Judge Miller following an eight day trial to the court on October 30, 2008. After additional numerous legal proceedings Creighton was sentenced by Judge Miller on January 28, 2010. Four other defendants were charged and convicted in the mail theft/check fraud. Two defendants were charged but not convicted. Creighton was believed to be the leader of the fraudulent scheme.
According to court records and information from the trial, the defendant, Creighton, stole mail looking for checks, credit cards, and other financial instruments. He targeted large apartment complexes where there were numerous general mailboxes. Using tools he pried the mail boxes open, put the stolen mail in bags, and then returned to a hotel room he had rented. This took place primarily in Denver, but also some in Colorado Springs. At the hotel room Creighton and others would find the financial pieces of mail, and then counterfeit identification documents and checks using the identity of the person for whom the stolen mail was intended. He and his associates would then go to large stores, such as BestBuy, Circuit City and food places such as Wendy’s, and use counterfeit checks to buy items including video game consoles. Creighton’s organization was sophisticated, to the point that he was using a digital camera, computers and printers to make high quality identifications and checks. The money the organization made during this fraudulent scheme usually went to pay for methamphetamine, which they used on a regular basis. The scheme defrauded over 4,000 victims.
“It is critical to prosecute those who steal mail not only to protect victims but also to protect the integrity of the mail delivery system,” said U.S. Attorney David Gaouette.
“United States Postal Inspectors in the Denver Division brought the Creighton case to a successful conclusion with the assistance of several local police departments,” said U.S. Postal Inspection Service Postal Inspector in Charge Shawn Tiller. “The aggressive prosecution by the United States Attorney’s Office resulted in the lengthy sentence given to Creighton. The Postal Inspection Service is grateful to all agencies that assisted with this investigation. This is just another example of how serious law enforcement is in the State of Colorado when it comes to bringing criminals who use the Mail for criminal gain to justice.”
This case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service with support from the Aurora, Denver and Greenwood Village Police Departments.
Creighton was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Mackey. This case was also handled by the Appellate Division of the U.S. Attorney's Office.
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