MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WRBL) – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Alabama announced on Wednesday the sentencing of a Texas man after he worked with a woman to steal checks and identities from mailboxes in Troy and later cashed out the stolen checks.

A federal judge sentenced 41-year-old John Eugene Dibello from Pasadena, Texas, to 43 months in prison for Conspiracy to Commit Mail and Bank Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft. After completing his prison term, Dibello will serve three years of supervised release.

According to Dibello’s plea agreement and other court documents, in 2021, Dibello and another individual, 30-year-old Taelor Amie Owens from Houston, Texas, traveled to Alabama so Owens could visit her family.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office said while they were in Troy, Dibello and Owens broke into multiple mailboxes, stealing mail that contained checks and identity information. After stealing the mail, Dibello and Owens used the identity information they obtained to cash the stolen checks.

Investigators eventually learned that Dibello and Owens were staying at a hotel in Pike County and discovered additional stolen mail from Texas inside the hotel room.

Authorities also found two fake identities, one of which the U.S. Attorney’s Office said was used by Dibello and the other by Owens. A post office arrow key used to access collection boxes, outdoor parcel lockers, cluster box units and apartment panels was located, too.

On May 23, Owens pled guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Mail and Bank Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office said Owen’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for Sept. 28. She is facing two to 30 years in prison.