A Bremerton, Washington resident, Heather Marquis, was arraigned in U.S. District Court in Tacoma on charges including conspiracy, bank fraud, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft, according to Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. Marquis, age 36, pleaded not guilty to all charges. She is detained at the Federal Detention Center at SeaTac. Her co-defendant, Emily Vranic, 33, was arraigned and released to her parents' custody the previous week. Their trial is scheduled for June 16, 2025, before U.S. District Judge Tiffany M. Cartwright.
“With an estimated 278 victims, these defendants left a broad swath of damage across Kitsap and Mason Counties,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Miller. U.S. Postal Inspection Service worked with the Bremerton Police Department and Kitsap County Sheriff's Office to track the financial damage.
Court records indicate that from April 2019 to November 2024, Vranic and Marquis allegedly stole identities through various methods. Their primary method involved stealing mail to gather personal documents, which were then used to activate credit cards and access bank accounts. They would often redirect important documents to third-party victims' addresses for interception before routing them to their own location in Bremerton.
The pair reportedly accumulated substantial credit card debt, conducted unauthorized transfers, and used victim accounts for mortgage payments. In one occurrence, they attempted a $35,000 transfer, following a successful $33,000 movement from the same victim's account. Upon rejection, they repeatedly contacted the bank, impersonating the account holder.
The total estimated loss due to this fraud scheme stands at approximately $620,000.
Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Tony Galetti, remarked on the case, stating that "the allegations made against Vranic and Marquis are staggering... From fixing bank accounts to rebuilding credit reports, the harm lasts far longer than the initial crime." He expressed gratitude to the Bremerton PD and Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office for their assistance.
Legal penalties for the charges include up to 30 years imprisonment for conspiracy and bank fraud, up to 20 years for wire fraud, and a mandatory minimum of two years for each count of aggravated identity theft, to be served consecutively.
The indictment charges remain allegations, and both individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
The investigation is led by the Bremerton Police Department, the Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Assistant United States Attorney Victoria Cantore is prosecuting the case.