SACRAMENTO -  A federal grand jury returned a 17-count indictment Thursday against Cody Patrick Cannon, 30, and Candice Nicole Freitas, 31, both transients, charging them with a scheme involving mail theft, aggravated identity theft, bank fraud, and possessing stolen credit and debit cards and stolen driver’s licenses and passports, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.

According to the indictment, between January 2018 and August 2018, Cannon and Freitas engaged in a scheme in which they used counterfeit U.S. Postal Service keys to open apartment complex mailboxes in Vacaville and steal mail. They then harvested personally identifiable information, financial information, and credit and debit cards. They defrauded banks by using the stolen cards to purchase goods and withdraw cash from ATMs in Vacaville, Folsom, Rocklin and Rancho Cordova.

According to court documents, on August 2, 2018, Cannon and Freitas were arrested at their RV parked in a hotel parking lot in Rancho Cordova. They were found to be in possession of stolen mail, checks, multiple stolen and fake California driver’s licenses, at least two passports bearing the names of others, and at least seven counterfeit U.S. Postal Service mail keys.

This case is the product of an investigation by the United States Postal Inspection Service, Sacramento Sheriff’s Department, Folsom Police Department, and Vacaville Police Department. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert J. Artuz is prosecuting the case.

If convicted of bank fraud, Cannon and Freitas face a maximum statutory penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine. If convicted of aggravated identity theft, they face a mandatory sentence of two years in prison consecutive to any other sentence imposed. The maximum sentence for possession of stolen mail is five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The maximum sentence for possession of USPS keys and possession of unauthorized access devises is 10 years in prison and a $25,000 fine. The maximum sentence for unlawful possession of identification documents is 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.