Undocumented Couple Held on $1M Bail for Massive Mail Theft In Rural NV

An undocumented couple, who were deported in 2019, have found their way back into the country entering Northern Nevada from California. During their travels in Reno, Carson County, Douglas County, Lyon County, Storey County and Washoe County, they were pulled over for speeding and then arrested and charged with multiple felonies related to mail theft, identity theft, burglary, and forgery.

The Douglas County District Attorney’s office revealed there are 330 victims across four states. 21 of those victims reside in Douglas County.

During a traffic stop for speeding in Minden, NV (pop. 3,140) at midnight in their 2008 Toyota Camry, a consent search uncovered nearly 300 pieces of mail, including personal and business checks totaling $555,000. Fishing equipment, weights, and duct tape used by the couple to fish mail from postal boxes was also found.

The Record-Courier reports:

Keyli Escalante-Enamorado, 21, and Rudy Socop-Domingo, 23, appeared in East Fork Justice Court with an interpreter after their Monday night arrest.

Of the 330 victims across four states identified, so far, 21 of them live in Douglas County, according to Douglas County Deputy District Attorney Bethany Towne who argued for a higher bail.

She said that the couple told authorities they were traveling to Los Angeles after visiting Reno, indiating they don’t have a connection to the region and could be a flight risk.

Towne asked for another day to complete charging the couple due to the complexity of the case. Attorney Max Stovall, who represented the couple for purposes of the bail hearing, asked that bail be set at $25,000 for each. He said they have a 3-month-old child at home.

A consent search of the Toyota revealed 261 personal and business checks totaling over $555,000.

A majority of the stolen checks were written to the IRS. Also, located in the Toyota were two homemade mail fishing devices made of vinyl strips, duct tape, and weights. The devices used the sticky portion of “Rat Traps” to remove mail from the postal containers.

Mail and checks were located from Douglas County, Carson City, Lyon County, Washoe County, Storey County and numerous locations in California.

Both Escalante-Enamorado and Socop-Domingo were deported from the United States in 2019 and are again in the U.S. illegally, according to a background check.

The Douglas County Sheriff’s office has contacted ICE and has requested an immigration hold placed on the suspects and has contacted the U.S. Postal Inspectors Office and the Department of Homeland Security to assist with the investigation.