Metro Atlanta man pleads guilty to bank fraud in Macon, approximately $96,000 stolen

28-year-old Keyon Ponder of Fayetteville pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud on March 24.

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – An Atlanta resident plead guilty to bank fraud in Macon in federal court on Monday, according to the United States Attorney’s Office Middle District of Georgia.

28-year-old Keyon Ponder of Fayetteville pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud on March 24. Ponder faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release and a $1,000,000 fine.

Acting U.S. Attorney C. Shanelle Booker released the following statement:

“Keyon Ponder’s stolen check scheme defrauded citizens and businesses alike, a crime that will ultimately cost him years in prison. I commend the actions of U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigators who quickly responded to reports of theft from a Blue Box, ultimately preventing additional fraud and helping us hold the perpetrator accountable.”

On May 29, 2024, the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) started investigating mail theft and bank fraud issues occurring in the Macon area after receiving multiple reports of mail stolen from the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) Blue Box on Georgia Avenue near the Macon Post Office on College Street.

The news release states that USPIS investigators found a homemade “trap” in the Blue Box. The “trap” was made of cardboard to prevent the mail from falling completely into the Blue Box, instead keeping it held in the “trap.” The “trap” allowed a person to steal the mail by placing their hand in the opening of the collection box to the mail or removing the trap and the mail.

On May 31, 2024, a USPS employee reported that a suspicious vehicle was observed at that Blue Box numerous times. The employee took pictures of the black Tesla with a tinted tag cover and license plate and provided them to the USPIS investigator. The employee reported that the vehicle’s driver was not seen placing mail in the Blue Box but instead saw the vehicle stay longer at the collection box. Electronic surveillance captured video of this event.

Later that afternoon around 2:22 p.m., inspectors observed the Tesla, with Ponder driving, pull up to the USPS blue box, roll down the vehicle’s window, and stick his empty hand deep in the opening of the blue box. The news release states that Ponder then appeared shoved an item in the blue box but then pulled the item back towards the opening of the blue box. Ponder’s fingerprints were recovered from the “trap” in the blue box.

Ponder left the scene and traveled on I-75 toward Monroe County. A Monroe County Sheriff’s Office deputy pulled him over for a traffic violation, plus the additional violations observed by the USPIS inspectors. Ponder had a bag of mail in plain view on the front passenger floorboard. Ponder also had outstanding arrest warrants and was placed in custody.

The news release states that the mail was not addressed to Ponder and contained checks. Investigators found cardboard boxes and tape inside his vehicle, which matched the homemade “trap” inside the blue box. The agents also seized two cell phones belonging to Ponder. At the time of arrest, Ponder had 52 pieces of stolen stamped mail, including 42 stolen checks totaling more than $20,000.

While Ponder was incarcerated, the Monroe County Jail saw Ponder via jail security video taking something from his pants and stuffing it behind a screen in the booking area. Deputies recovered the envelope containing 17 more checks and one USPS Postal Money Order that totaled more than $75,000. In total, Ponder had 59 stolen checks written for approximately $96,000.

The United States Attorney’s Office Middle District of Georgia says that a federal search warrant executed on Ponder’s two cell phones found evidence of a fraud scheme in which Ponder and other individuals stole mail–specifically targeting checks–to operate a fraud ring utilizing originals and copies of checks that Ponder advertised and sold on the Telegram social media and messaging application. The phone data showed 136 individuals participated on Ponder’s stolen checks Telegram channel.

In addition,  Ponder’s cell phone contained more than 500 stolen check images and numerous photos of stolen checks listed for sale on his Telegram channel, along with many detailed conversations regarding various aspects of the transactions of the stolen checks.

According to the news release, Ponder admitted that he knew the checks were stolen and that he sold them or offered them for sale to others.

Jessica L. Wagner, Acting Inspector in Charge of the Atlanta Division released the following statement:

“The investigative work conducted by Postal Inspectors with the assistance of the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office led to the arrest of the defendant who would have continued to victimize countless other people. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service remains vigilant to protect the nation’s mail system from criminal misuse and will continue to aggressively investigate those individuals suspected of such crimes.”