NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – RAYNARD JAMES (“JAMES”) , age 23, pleaded guilty on November 4, 2026 before U.S. District Judge Jane T. Milazzo to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, and three counts of bank fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1344 and 1349, announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle.
According to court documents, JAMES entered into a scheme with a mail carrier for the United States Postal Service to steal checks from the mail, fraudulently deposit them, and withdraw the proceeds. In furtherance of that scheme, in July of 2024, JAMES ’sco-conspirator stole three checks from the mail and provided them to JAMES . JAMES either fraudulently endorsed the stolen checks or reprinted them to make them payable to an entity other than the intended payee. JAMES then attempted to deposit each of the checks. JAMES and other co-conspirators were able to successfully withdraw over $18,000 from the stolen checks.
As to each of his convictions, JAMES faces up to 30 years in prison, up to a $1,000,000 fine, up to five years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the United States Postal Inspection Service. Assistant United States Attorney David Berman of the Violent Crime Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (“Fraud Division”). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
Source: U.S. Attorney’s Office — Eastern District of Louisiana — U.S. Department of Justice press release.