Three Individuals Arrested for Attempting to Steal More Than $2 Million in Treasury Checks

Tampa, Florida - Stanley Richardson Joseph (28, Brooklyn, NY), Kallie Nicole Valerie Halliday (26, Brooklyn, NY), and Kristy Marie Bochecchio (47, Tampa) have been charged in a federal indictment with conspiracy, theft of government money or property, and aggravated identity theft. If convicted on all counts, each faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. The indictment also notifies the defendants that the United States intends to forfeit the proceeds traceable to the offenses. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.

According to the indictment, Joseph, Halliday, and Bochecchio intercepted U.S. Treasury checks, which had been placed in the mail to be delivered to the victims. Once the defendants obtained the checks, they created counterfeit driver licenses to match the names and identities of the victims. They then used these counterfeit licenses to open new accounts at various financial institutions and deposited the stolen Treasury checks.

An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.

This case was investigated by the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration and the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, with assistance from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and Homeland Security Investigations, New York. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Merrilyn Hoenemeyer.

On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump's Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.