Former U.S. Postal Worker Stole Identities, Gets 5 Years in Prison

A former U.S. Postal Service employee was sentenced to prison Wednesday for her involvement in a $1.5 million stolen identity refund fraud conspiracy.

Elizabeth Grant, 52, of Seale, Alabama, also known as Elizabeth Williams Grant and Ann Grant, would steal identities of individuals on her mail route for her co-conspirators to use in filing false federal income tax returns.

According to court documents, Grant conspired with eight others, including Tracy Mitchell of Phenix City, Alabama, and Keshia Lanier of Seale, Alabama to file more than 700 false returns.

When the fraudulent tax refund checks came through the mail, Grant would retrieve them and deliver to her partners.

Grant pleaded guilty in November 2015 to conspiracy to defraud the United States with respect to claims, aggravated identity theft and embezzling mail. She was sentenced Wednesday to prison for more than five years, and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $978,468.

Tracy Mitchell, who was identified as one of the ring leaders of this scheme, was sentenced to 13 years.

Mitchell and Lanier, already pleaded guilty and were sentenced for their roles in this scheme.  On Aug. 7, 2015, Mitchell was sentenced to 159 months in prison.  On Sept. 25, 2015, Lanier was sentenced to 180 months in prison.