United States of America v. Michael John Peters

Portland, Oregon, criminal defense lawyer represented the Defendant charged with stealing hundreds of pieces of mail, using stolen identities to commit bank fraud, and possessing counterfeit postal service keys,

in May 2025, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated a series of mail thefts from apartment and condominium buildings throughout the Portland metropolitan area. Surveillance footage showed Peters entering secured residential buildings, opening cluster mailboxes using counterfeit postal service keys, and stealing mail.

On July 8, 2025, Peters was confronted by security staff while attempting another mail theft. He abandoned a backpack containing counterfeit postal service keys, stolen mail belonging to multiple victims, and a device used to gain access to secured buildings.

Investigators determined that Michael John Peters, 43, used information obtained from stolen mail to commit identity theft and bank fraud. In one instance, he opened a checking account in a victim's name and obtained a $20,000 loan from a financial institution. He also submitted additional fraudulent loan applications seeking more than $100,000 from various financial institutions.

The Defendant was found guilty and was sentenced to four years and seven months in prison.