Press Release

Arrest of Jennesy Rodriguez

Between December of 2021 and March of 2022, the East Lampeter Township Police Department received multiple reports of checks mailed to or mailed from the Leola zip code being stolen.  The checks were found to have been altered and then deposited into accounts for which they were not intended.  The circumstances surrounding the thefts of the checks led investigators to suspect the involvement of a postal carrier.  The suspect list was eventually narrowed down to Jennesy Rodriguez and a covert camera was placed by the USPS Office of Inspector General into the postal vehicle being used by Rodriguez.  Over the next several weeks, the camera recorded the events within the postal vehicle.   Investigators pored over the surveillance videos and located several instances of Rodriguez manipulating, occasionally opening, concealing and removing mail intended for delivery.

On April 4, 2022, an arrest warrant was obtained and Jennesy Rodriguez was taken into custody at the Leola Post Office.  She was processed and then transported to MDJ Commins’ Office where she was arraigned by MDJ Herman.  Jennesy Rodriguez was then committed to Lancaster County Prison for failure to post $50,000 bail at 10%.

Jennesy Rodriguez was charged with:

• 1 count of Theft by Unlawful Taking (a felony 1)
• 50 counts of Criminal Conspiracy to Commit Forgery (a felony 3)
• 1 count of Bad Checks (a felony 3)
• 1 count of Criminal Use of a Communication Facility (a felony 3)
• 50 counts of Identity Theft (a felony 3)
• 111 counts of Misapplication of Entrusted Property and Property of Government or Financial Institutions (a misdemeanor 3)
• 111 counts of Theft by Unlawful Taking (a misdemeanor 3)
• 111 counts of Receiving Stolen Property (a misdemeanor 3)

As of April 4, 2022, there were 50 checks that were reported stolen and deposited or attempted to be deposited in 50 different accounts under 49 different names.  The locations of the 50 depositors varies including New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, and Florida.  The total value of all 50 checks was $699,820.47.  A large portion of these checks were flagged by their respective issuing banks or the bank of first deposit and the funds were credited back to the victims with little or no realized financial gain to the depositors.

These events occurred in the Leola zip code between November of 2021 and April 1, 2022. 

Often, the diversion of a bank check goes unnoticed for a longer period of time than other types of crimes.  Anyone with checks that are unaccounted for or otherwise missing between these time frames are advised to examine their bank statements for evidence of fraudulent activity.  If suspicious activity is discovered, account holders should contact their financial institutions for clarification and guidance.

The East Lampeter Township Police Department was assisted by the United States Postal Service Office of the Inspector General, the United States Postal Service, Ephrata National Bank, Fulton Bank, PNC Bank and several other financial institutions.

This is a complex ongoing criminal investigation.  Additional persons and/or charges are or may be involved.  Anyone with information is asked to contact the East Lampeter Township Police Department at 717-291-4676.