Acting U.S. Attorney of the Justice Department announced on Thursday that a member of an Anchorage mail theft ring was sentenced in U.S. District Court for Bank Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft.

45-year-old Elizabeth Ingalsbe of Anchorage went before United States District Court Judge Sharon L. Gleason for sentencing and received a sentence of 42 months, or 3.5 years.

Aunnie Seward, Assistant U.S. Attorney said in the DOJ release, “Ingalsbe, as a member of a mail theft ring in Anchorage, cashed checks at the bank that had been stolen from victims’ mailboxes. The checks were altered to indicate a false payee and to increase the payment amount. The stolen checks included payments for rent, insurance premiums, a donation to a veteran’s memorial, and bill payments. The amounts were generally $100 or less and were falsely increased to $900 before Inglasbe cashed the checks. Ingalsbe victimized approximately 21 individuals and organizations.”

When sentenced, Judge Gleason noted and took into concideration Ingalsbe’s lengthy criminal history and the impact that she had had on the victims of her crimes.

Acting U.S. Attorney Kevin Feldis stated, “Identity theft is a worldwide problem that can have devastating impact on its victims. In this case, the defendant victimized over 20 local citizens, putting their bank accounts, credit ratings, reputations and good names at risk. It is appropriate that the sentence imposed is significant and serves to deter others from committing similar crimes.”

  Anchorage, bank fraud, elizabeth ingalsbe, identity theft, mail theft, sentencing