Bergen County Mail Carrier Allegedly Stole Checks from People Along His Mail Route

Theft Suspect in Allendale New JerseyPolice arrested a Union City, NJ man who worked as a mail carrier in Bergen County and allegedly stole checks from people on his mail route. The suspect is Hector O. Tejada, a 50-year-old resident of Union City, New Jersey. According to authorities, Tejada stole checks from multiple residents and then committed fraud in order to deposit the money into his personal bank account.

Authorities became aware of the alleged theft offenses in September 2017 when a person in Allendale notified local law enforcement about a check that went missing from his mail. Allendale police worked with the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office and the U.S. Postal Service Office of the Inspector General to investigate Tejada. That investigation reportedly uncovered evidence that Tejada stole a total of nine checks from people along his Bergen County mail route. The stolen checks reportedly totaled more than $8,000.

Mail Fraud Charges in Bergen County, New Jersey

Tejada faces multiple criminal charges in connection with the alleged mail fraud: theft by deception and forgery. The forgery charges have been filed because Tejada allegedly forged the names of the intended check recipients on the stolen checks and then fraudulently transferred the money into his bank account.

In addition to facing several counts of theft and forgery, Tejada could more criminal charges if law enforcement investigators uncover further evidence of criminal activity in the case. At this time, authorities are actively investigating Tejada and trying to determine if there were other victims on his mail route. Anyone in Bergen County who thinks that checks or other items went missing from their mail should notify police.

The charges that have already been filed against Tejada are third degree felonies. A conviction on a single count of third degree theft or third degree forgery could result in Tejada being sentenced to 3-5 years in NJ State Prison. This means that Tejada may want to avoid standing trial in Bergen County Superior Court in Hackensack, New Jersey. Not only are the statutory penalties severe, but NJ judges tend to impose maximum punishments in cases involving crimes of moral turpitude.

Contact an Experienced Bergen County Theft Crime Lawyer

The criminal lawyers at the Tormey Law Firm have successfully defended countless clients against theft and fraud charges in Bergen County, New Jersey. If you or a loved one has been arrested and charged with theft by deception, theft of movable property, or any other theft offense in NJ, you need to talk to one of the skilled members of our legal team. Contact us anytime to go over the details of your case.