(From the Jasper County Sheriff's Office)On January 29th , at approximately 3:00 PM, Jasper County deputies were following up on information regarding the recent mail theft suspects.
During the investigation detectives searched a room at the Tara Motel located near I -44/Old 66 that both Sturgis and Blake had rented and located opened mail that contained W-2 forms, car titles, financial statements, checks and credit cards belonging to additional victims of Jasper County.
Approximately an additional 170 victims have been identified and will be contacted in reference to these thefts.
More charges will be sent to the prosecutor on both suspects and other agencies are now assisting with this investigation, including Joplin Police Department and Newton County Sheriff’s Office.
This investigation continues and more charges may arise. The Jasper County Sheriff’s Office will be working over the next several days to get the stolen mail repackaged and delivered to the victims.
Original news release
On January 26th, 2023 at approximately 2:00 p.m. Jasper County Deputies were dispatched to the area Fleece Lane and North Peace Church Ave in Joplin in reference to a suspicious vehicle that was stopping in front of several houses. The caller gave a vehicle description and license plate to the dispatcher.
Jasper County Detectives who were in the area recognized the vehicle description as a vehicle they were looking for in several reports of stolen mail.
Detectives located the vehicle at Casey’s in Briarbrook of Carl Junction. During the investigation, multiple items of mail were located in the vehicle with various different addresses.
The driver, Emily Sturgis, 30, of Joplin and passenger, Aaron Blake, 27, of Joplin were taken into custody and charges of stealing are being sent to the Jasper County Prosecutor for review. The owners of the stolen mail will be contacted by detectives. This investigation is ongoing and more charges may arise as it continues.
I hope that if these defendants are found guilty or plead guilty, they have the book thrown at them. In fact, I thought it was a federal offense to steal mail out of a mailbox. So often identity theft cases seem to only get a slap on the hand.
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