Last Friday, police officers got an alert from a license plate reader that a mail theft suspect was driving around Jeffrey Road and Roosevelt, according to the Irvine Police Department.
The officers then found the vehicle, pulled it over, and spoke to the two people inside it. Bet you can’t guess what happened next…
The officers searched the car and found a large amount of mail in a trash bag. The mail was from about 50 different addresses throughout Irvine.
The officers followed up with several victims and confirmed that their mail had been stolen.
Tristan Quan Le, 54, of Anaheim, and Terri Thuy Vellpradit, 50, of Garden Grove, were packaged up and shipped express with delivery confirmation and insurance to Orange County Jail for mail theft and conspiracy.
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Here’s a summary of the potential penalties Tristan Quan Le and Terri Thuy Vellpradit could face for mail theft and conspiracy under California law:
Mail Theft (California Penal Code § 530.5(e))
- Classification: Misdemeanor
- Penalties:
- Up to 1 year in county jail
- Fine of up to $1,000
- Possible summary probation instead of jail time
However, if the stolen mail includes items valued over $950, or if the suspects have prior theft convictions, prosecutors may also file:
- Grand theft charges (felony or misdemeanor)
- Felony: Up to 3 years in prison
- Misdemeanor: Up to 1 year in jail
- Identity theft charges, often paired with mail theft
- Felony: Up to 3 years in prison
- Fine: Up to $10,000
Conspiracy (California Penal Code § 182)
- Definition: An agreement between two or more people to commit a crime, plus an overt act to further it.
- Penalties:
- If the conspiracy is to commit a misdemeanor, the penalty is the same as that misdemeanor (e.g., up to 1 year in jail).
- If the conspiracy is to commit a felony, the penalty matches the felony’s punishment.
- Some conspiracy charges are wobblers, meaning they can be charged as either misdemeanors or felonies.
- Felony conspiracy charges may carry:
- County jail terms of 16 months, 2 years, or 3 years
- Fines up to $10,000
If federal authorities get involved (which sometimes happens with mail theft), the penalties could be even more severe—up to 5 years in federal prison under Title 18 U.S. Code § 1708.