The Anchorage drug dealer, and leader of a mail theft ring, was sentenced on Wednesday to 14 years in prison, U.S. Attorney Karen Loeffler announced today.

Jonathan Ortiz Escalante, also known as “Superman,” was sentenced on 16 counts of Fraud, Drug Distribution, and being a felon in possession of a firearm, by Chief United States District Court Judge Ralph R. Beistline. The judge stated that the 14-year sentence handed down was appropriate, in light of the fact that “Superman” carried out a  “decade of criminal activity” and the defendant’s drugs, guns and fraud were a “danger to the community.”

Escalante used drug addicts and homeless persons to ” steal mail and break into vehicles to get checks and identification cards that he then altered and used to cash stolen and counterfeit checks. Escalante also used stolen credit cards and forged counterfeit securities, as well as stolen vehicles to carry out his scheme. Escalante distributed methamphetamine to addicts in exchange for stolen mail and cashing stolen checks,” prosecuting attorney Aunnie Steward said in the press release.

During the course of his scheme, Escalante “possessed and fired two Ruger 9mm pistols,” Escalante is prohibited from possessing a gun because of his prior felonies.

Four others involved in the mail theft ring, Neasha Moore, John Brittain, Ralph Oliver and Denae Sullivan, have already been sentenced.[xyz-ihs snippet=”Adsense-responsive”]

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