A Fayetteville man has admitted to orchestrating a mail fraud scheme involving stolen checks from a Macon mail collection box. Keyon Ponder, 28, pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud in a federal court, which may result in a sentence of up to 30 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and a $1,000,000 fine. The sentencing date is yet to be determined.
Acting U.S. Attorney C. Shanelle Booker stated, "Keyon Ponder’s stolen check scheme defrauded citizens and businesses alike, a crime that will ultimately cost him years in prison." Booker praised the U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigators for their swift action in preventing further fraud.
Jessica L. Wagner, Acting Inspector in Charge of the Atlanta Division, commended the collaborative effort of the Postal Inspectors and the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office. "The investigative work conducted by Postal Inspectors with the assistance of the Monroe County Sheriff's Office led to the arrest of the defendant who would have continued to victimize countless other people," she said.
The investigation began on May 29, 2024, when the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) received multiple reports of mail theft from a U.S. Postal Service (USPS) Blue Box on Georgia Avenue near the Macon Post Office. Investigators discovered a homemade "trap" made of cardboard inside the box, which allowed culprits to steal mail.
By May 31, 2024, USPIS inspectors tracked Ponder driving a black Tesla to the Blue Box, where he was observed manipulating items inside. Ponder's fingerprints were found on the trap, and a sheriff's deputy later pulled him over in Monroe County for traffic violations. In his vehicle, authorities discovered a bag of mail containing checks not addressed to him, along with materials used to craft the trap and two cell phones.
Additional checks were found on Ponder later while he was in custody at the Monroe County Jail. In total, he possessed 59 stolen checks worth approximately $96,000. A federal search warrant on his cell phones revealed a sophisticated fraud scheme where he sold stolen checks via the Telegram messaging app, involving 136 individuals on his channel.
The case was investigated by the USPIS with support from the Monroe County Sheriff's Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Howard is prosecuting the case for the government.