Mail theft, money laundering scheme; Milwaukee man charged

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Mario Casey

WAUWATOSA, Wis. - Milwaukee County prosecutors accuse a man of stealing checks out of the mail for months, part of a scheme to steal and launder more than $100,000.

Stolen mail investigation

The backstory:

Wauwatosa's city assessor reported that several pieces of mail, which had checks inside, had been stolen from a U.S. Postal Service mailbox outside City Hall.

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A criminal complaint said the suspect's car – a red Chrysler – was seen near the mailbox on nine different occasions, eight of which happened in March, between 2 a.m. and 4 a.m. One person would get out of the driver's door, sometimes joined by a passenger. They'd go over to the mailbox, use a mail key to open it, and remove the mail.

Suspect seen at Wauwatosa City Hall mailbox (Courtesy: MCDAO)

Based on interviews, police determined more than $100,000 was stolen based on either the amount of the actual checks or altered checks that were placed in the mailbox on those dates.

Wauwatosa police set up an operation to arrest the suspect on April 4, and the red Chrsyer pulled into the City Hall parking lot and stopped at the mailbox shortly after 3 a.m. The complaint said the driver, 33-year-old Mario Casey of Milwaukee, was the only person in the car. He was arrested without incident, and an officer found a mailbox key in his jacket pocket.

In custody

What they're saying:

A detective interviewed Casey, and court filings said the "lies from Casey were so poor [the detective] had a hard time following what he was saying."

The complaint said Casey initially claimed he was at the mailbox on the night of his arrest to put something in the mailbox, not to steal any mail. As for why he had a mailbox key, he said he found it at Mayfair Mall and had it with him that night "for whatever reason."

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When the detective explained to Casey that his car had been seen on video from prior thefts, and that "it was not a random thing that five squad cars pulled into the parking lot and arrested him," prosecutors said Casey admitted to stealing from the City Hall mailbox. He also said he stole from another mailbox at 63rd and Bluemound, but "ain't nothing ever be in there."

The detective asked Casey where the checks were going, and court filings said he sent photographs of the checks through a messenger app to someone he knew as "Oxy." Casey said Oxy would send him $100 for each check sent, and he said he made a few thousand dollars. 

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Casey said he estimated he stole more than 800 pieces of mail over the course of three to four months, according to the complaint. If he found a death certificate or birthday card, he would reseal the envelope and put it back because "he would feel bad." He said he was "not a bad person," tried to "be careful with people's information and hard-earned money," and he would put the mail back if he "could not get anything from it."

In court

In court:

Court records show Casey is charged with:

• Conspiracy to commit money laundering (over $100,000)
• Conspiracy to commit forgery
• Conspiracy to commit theft of mail (30 or more pieces)
• Conspiracy to commit theft of movable property (exceeding $100,000)
• Conspiracy to commit unauthorized use of identifying information

Casey made his initial court appearance on Thursday, and a court commissioner set his bond at $20,000. He's due back in court for a preliminary hearing on April 15.