Prosecutors ‘pleased’ with ID theft sentence

Amber Carrillo used post office forwarding forms to steal mail

By Mara Stine

The Gresham Outlook, Jun 3, 2008, Updated Oct 30, 2009 (6 Reader comments)

Amber Carrillo

Contributed photo

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A creative mail thief will spend more than four years behind bars after a Multnomah County judge sentenced her to 52 months in prison.

Amber Carrillo, 26, pleaded guilty to nine counts of identity theft and one count each of mail theft and possession of a controlled substance, methamphetamine, before Dale Koch, presiding judge of the Multnomah County Circuit Court.

Koch sentenced Carrillo to 52 months – or four years and four months – in prison followed by five years of probation on Friday, May 16.

Gresham police arrested Carrillo in March on 86 counts of identity theft. While the crime is not a new one, Carrillo put a new twist on it – she used post office change-of-address forms to forward her victims’ mail, including W-2s and credit card solicitations, to her house. The U.S. Postal Service doesn’t verify address changes made in person or via mail, but does verify those made over the phone or online. In fact, changing an address on the postal service’s Web site requires a credit card, which police say can just as easily be a stolen one.

Carrillo’s crimes were fueled by a methamphetamine addiction and greed, said Kevin Demer, the deputy district attorney who prosecuted the case.

Carrillo opened credit cards in her victims’ names and purchased items that she’d return for cash. She also bought items to “enhance her lifestyle,” such as clothing and electronics, Demer said.

Demer said he’s never prosecuted an identity theft case quite like this. Not only did she use the change-of-address forms to her advantage, she also had items sent to three addresses, including her own.

“I’m seeing that more and more,” Demer said, adding that this indicates how untouchable and invincible identity thieves feel. Their attitude is: “ ‘How’s Dell Computer gonna come get me?’ ” Demer added.

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