Former New Hampshire Man Pleads Guilty To Bank Fraud

Concord NH

10 February, 2021

3:03 PM

Description

CONCORD, NH — A former New Hampshire resident with a history of criminal activity in the state has pleaded guilty to bank fraud in U.S. District Court. Benjamin Stockwell, 30, who now lives in Florida, pleaded guilty to a single count in federal court on Tuesday. According to court documents and investigators, he stole checks from mailboxes around New Hampshire, altered the checks, and then cashed them at various banks, in his own name. Stockwell will be sentenced in May. "Protecting the integrity of the mail is an important law enforcement priority," U.S. Attorney Scott Murray said. "Those who steal items from the mail to commit fraud should understand that they will be identified and prosecuted." Manchester Police Chief Allen Aldenberg, whose team worked the case, agreed. "The theft of mail in furtherance of various fraud schemes has a significant financial and emotional impact on its victims," he said. "Hopefully, the charges that Mr. Stockwell faces will serve as a warning to all would-be mail thieves that there are serious consequences for this type of activity." Did you like this story? Invite a friend to subscribe to Patch! Along with Manchester police, Bow police also assisted with the investigation along with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Georgiana MacDonald prosecuted the case. Stockwell is no stranger to police in Concord and the capital region. Stockwell was convicted on a felony burglary charge out of Northwood from March 2015. In November 2015, he was accused of possession-sale of narcotics in Pittsfield and was accused of violation of probation and parole in May and September 2017, and November 2018, after being arrested on drug charges in Epsom in May 2017. He was also convicted on two receiving stolen property charges out of Belmont in January 2018. Stockwell was also arrested on felony receiving stolen property charges, due to two prior convictions, in September 2019 and November 2019 in Concord and September 2019 in Bow. He was indicted later but eventually, the charges were nolle prossed. Stockwell also has an active forgery and theft by deception-$1,501+ charges out of Manchester in Hillsborough County Superior Court North. He is due back in court to face those charges in March. Got a news tip? Send it to [email protected]. View videos on Tony Schinella's YouTube.com channel or Rumble.com channel.