The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona announced that a federal grand jury in Tucson returned a 12-count indictment against former Postal Service Officer Anna Cecilia Miranda for passing forged and altered U.S. Postal Service money orders after knowingly and unlawfully stealing those money orders from Pirtleville, Ariz., Post Office customers.
The indictment alleges that the defendant knowingly and unlawfully stole numerous money orders from Pirtleville Post Office customers, including money orders intended for home loan and mortgage payments, and forged and altered those U.S. Postal Service money orders with the intent to defraud.
A conviction for a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 500 carries a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison, a $250,000 fine, or both. A conviction for a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1709 carries the same penalty.
An indictment is simply the method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until competent evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by United States Postal Service, Office of Inspector General. The prosecution is being handled by Melissa A. Meister, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona.