HOLLAND (WHTC) — Holland resident Zachary Stephen Thomas, 32, is facing serious federal charges after being arrest over the weekend.
Thomas was charged this week with theft and/or unlawful possession of U.S. mail and bank fraud. The mail theft charge carries a prison sentence of up to five years. If he’s convicted on the bank fraud charges, he could spend up to 30 years in prison.
“The integrity of the United States mail is of great importance to my office,” said U.S. Attorney Pat Miles, Jr. in a written statement released to the media. “Theft of the mail, especially theft of financial documents and personal information, can have devastating consequences for the residents of this district. Those who choose to engage in this conduct will be held fully accountable for their actions.”
Federal documents indicate Thomas began stealing Holland residents’ mail and then expanded the thefts to other Lakeshore communities.
Miles’ statement said Thomas “routinely stole bank account checks and credit card convenience checks mailed to Holland area residents. Thomas then forged the checks, deposited them into his own bank account, and withdrew large amounts of cash from his bank’s automated teller machine before the bank discovered that the checks were fraudulent.”
Police searches of Thomas’s apartment “recovered a significant amount of mail addressed to other individuals,” Miles’ statement said.
Thomas is in the custody of the U.S. Marshal, with a U.S. District Court appearance set for Thursday in Grand Rapids.
Case investigators include the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office,
Assistant United States Attorney Ronald M. Stella will prosecutor the case, according to Miles’ official statement.
