TACOMA – The 39-year-old man arrested earlier this year after he was found in possession of a thousand pounds of mail — which police say he used to defraud victims from Port Townsend to Poulsbo — pleaded guilty in federal court Nov. 21.
Adam J. Lysiak admitted to aggravated identity theft, possession of stolen mail and bank fraud. Sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 28 in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington in Tacoma.
Prosecutors said in court Lysiak could serve 24 months for identity theft, and 27 months for possession of stolen mail and bank fraud.
Port Townsend Police officers arrested Lysiak on Feb. 12. Officers had learned Lysiak, a wanted felon with a history of identity theft, was living in an apartment in the 1500 block of Sherman Street. During the course of investigating Lysiak’s location, officers learned he was allegedly running an identity theft operation with victims across the region.
When officers announced their presence at the front door of the second-floor apartment, Lysiak jumped off the back deck and fell to the ground. Officers behind the apartment building took Lysiak into custody without further incident.
Mail and credit cards, computers, printers, and other evidence was collected by officers serving a search warrant on Lysiak’s apartment and car. The mail Lysiak collected had been stored around his apartment in large garbage bags.
After investigators discarded advertisements and other mail not addressed to a specific person or business, about 3,000 pieces of mail were left, taken from more than 1,230 victims across the region. Most of the mail was from residences in Jefferson and Kitsap counties.
Lysiak used the personal and financial information he gathered from the stolen mail to shop at six Port Townsend businesses and at stores across Kitsap County. Evidence was collected showing Lysiak shopped using stolen checks, credit cards and gift cards. Over the course of about two months, he was able to steal thousands of dollars from victims. investigators said.
The investigation involved hundreds of hours worked by Port Townsend Police Detective Jason Greenspane, Officer Luke Bogues, and U.S. Postal Inspector Matthew Rintoul. They were assisted by other officers, citizen volunteers, and agencies, including the U.S. Secret Service.
It was the most extensive fraud investigation conducted by Port Townsend police, Bogues said.
Victims that were contacted by the police department or U.S. Postal Inspection Service may contact the U.S. Attorney’s Victim-Witness Program at (800) 797-6722 to inquire about providing an impact statement to be delivered to the judge or read in open court Feb. 28. Bogues said testimony of the crime victims may influence the judges’ sentencing decision.
