Okay. So, as of now, you are being detained for an ongoing investigation, okay? I don't need you to contact anybody cuz I don't need nobody to pull off or nothing like that. So, let's not do that. >> Okay. >> Okay. So, lock your phone and you have no identification on you. Is this your ID, your legal ID? >> No. >> Okay. The check. Where is the check at? >> Which check? [music] >> The check you're trying to cash. Give it to the officer. Make it out My real name? Real name? Real date of birth? >> I didn't get no money for the lottery cash. We cash no check for you. >> On April 17th, 2025, a woman walked into a United States Post Office in Leon County, Florida with a stolen Treasury check and a counterfeit ID. The real issue is not the fake ID, it is how a live federal alert network shut down an entire multi-location fraud operation in real time. >> I don't need nobody to pull off or nothing like that. So, let's not do that. >> Okay. >> Okay. So, lock your phone and you have no identification on you. >> What's going on? >> You're being detained at this time. >> Why? >> For we're going to we have an investigation to investigate apparently you cashed a check that does not belong to you. >> Who me? >> Yes, you. >> No. >> Okay, well, that's what they're alleging. So, until we can further investigate, you're being detained. >> Okay. >> Okay. And you have no identification on you at at all. So, you didn't give them any identification? >> Mhm. >> No license, no nothing? >> I gave you my ID, ma'am. >> Okay, so where is it? >> In my purse. >> Okay, hand it here. >> Don't you all don't have I want you to give it back. I can get it out of my purse. >> No, we can walk this way. Do you still have the identification that she gave you? >> I I gave it to you back. >> No, you didn't give it back. >> Check and ID I just just gave it. >> You want to set your bag on the counter? Is this your ID, your legal ID? >> No. Okay. The check. Where is the check at? >> Which one? >> The check you're trying to cash, give it to the officer. >> Fake ID? Not her too. Real name, real date of birth? And she has other people in the vehicle. I'm going to see what the switch keeps in the car. >> Where did you get this made? >> Who said what? >> Where did you get this made? >> Um >> You don't know? >> They already cashed these, so she already They already lost money. >> Are they already cashing it? >> Mhm. Which Which Which check did you cash now? You didn't have the check from me. >> No, we had another fraudulent check just before you got here. >> This doesn't have to do with me, though. >> No, we That wasn't regarding you. It was the same business, with the same ID, same everything. The same fake ID like yours. >> You said your name is Martina? [clears throat] You said you got a ride outside? >> Um >> Somebody out there waiting for you? You don't know? Got anything in your purse? >> Yes. >> Take your purse off. >> Um It's a group. I don't know if it's a group, but they didn't hit me. All of our post offices, so we've been sharing it in our group texts. Um the group that was just here Nobody can cash a check we check without cash. So, on June 3rd, he sent me here with a $3,000 money order. And then he says, "Oh, here. Cash this check." And the check That check was good. They're stolen They stole it from somewhere, but the ID is linked to a man somewhere. >> Mhm. >> So, then we had another group to escort to Quincy and they just came from Quincy and told us and I got the email and then I just we know now so they came and got me cuz this stuff comes out of their check so they said it's a tall, slender, black male with 12087 Treasury check. So, I think this one is for 15 something. >> Mhm. >> It's not their ID. You run the ID, the one we ran earlier was to a man. >> Mhm. >> They're fake IDs. >> And >> her ID goes to a male, too? >> Well, I'm not sure. >> They ran it again. Oh, see that inspector ran it. >> Her name is totally different from >> Oh. >> the name she provided us. It's totally different. >> her say that it was it wasn't her. I did hear her say that. >> Right. So, obviously she got an ID to match [music] the name on the check and attempt to cash the check. >> Which is what the other person did. >> Right. How How did y'all y'all just ran it and was like, this is this is a male? >> Well, um Ryan, the inspector could be here in a minute. He alerted us that someone was trying to cash this check for 2340. >> At a different location. >> And they called the postmaster was sitting in my seat. I'm just I'm the station manager. She has off by 10. And I stepped out to the window and I said, "Hey, don't cash this don't cash a Treasury check." She said, "We just did." She and got caught into it. He said, "Here, here's 3,000. We buy some money orders." She put the 3,000 in her drawer and he said, "Oh, yeah, cash this check." She gave him that money right back cuz she didn't have enough to cash it cuz everybody uses debit or credit. >> Mhm. >> Ryan, when he got here, he ran the ID that she provided and it came back as a male. >> Mhm. >> When Inspector Ryan of the United States Postal Inspection Service ran her identification, it came back registered to a male. Under Terry versus Ohio, law enforcement may detain someone on reasonable articulable suspicion alone. A bar well below probable cause. A mismatched ID on a stolen federal check clears that bar. Still, a defense attorney could argue the initial approach rested on an informal postal group text, not a sworn law enforcement source. That said, the moment that database return came back to a male, every procedural argument evaporated. What she was carrying next changes the legal picture entirely. >> And of course, that was a female that cashed the check. >> Right. >> They're making an ID to go with that check. >> Right. The The money from this check, did y'all provide it to her or y'all? >> Oh, no. We didn't give her the check. She still got the check. >> the the cash from the previous one, that was the one y'all were cash. >> We cashed it. >> Okay. So, she attempted to uh get this check cashed. However, y'all caught it. So, y'all didn't provide her any cash. How would you describe >> had to hold her because uh inspectors are at a different location from the earlier >> Mhm. >> Uh their office is not too far. It's the next exit up. >> Mhm. >> Uh are you aware who they are? >> The inspectors? >> Mhm. >> Um >> They're the federal agents for the post Well, they work for actually the They are the federal police force for They carry a badge and a gun. >> I I've never talked to one in person. I I've heard like they >> real cool. >> Definitely definitely mail and stuff and then >> Man, you don't want to When they show up, the file is this thick. >> Uh-huh. >> And I get them for um stealing my mail, stealing my gas cards. You know, it happens. >> Okay. >> Okay. Okay. So, there's the mail. So, the the original mail or whatever, so, he said this person is the one who cashed the earlier this evening. >> Mhm. >> And this is his ID. Also, she went to the signal office. Same day birth, same picture, just a different name. >> Mhm. >> In attendance to cash this check. >> Mhm. >> But they didn't cash it. They didn't cash that one, but they did cash his. >> Okay. Yeah, that's what she was saying. >> But she does have a She has a second ID. Same picture, same day of birth, just a different name. >> Okay. Was that [clears throat] on on her property or >> I don't know if it's on her property or I didn't check it. >> Yeah? >> Um >> But I But the ID that was out is the same day of birth, just different name. >> You got that uh check? >> This one? >> Okay. >> Look what he just said on it. >> It is not signed. >> You want to see those pictures? >> Yeah, I don't know what I'm going to do with them yet. Um Where is Where is Where she's right here? >> Uh yeah, this suspect's at the end of their little conference room. >> Okay. >> Um I just said I got her detained. >> Okay. >> Um And essentially what I told you, she came up here with a check, tried to cash it with a fake ID that's not her. >> Um the name on the ID is not her real name, it's a fake name. >> Right. But [snorts] the name on the ID comes to the uh check holder. >> Yeah, so that's the check holder. >> Yeah, so her fake ID matches the name on the fake >> document. >> Right. >> Okay, got it. >> No, it's a real It's probably a real document. >> But they created a fake ID. >> They created a fake ID to match that name on there. >> Mhm. >> She's I think she's the same one that was at Centerville earlier today. >> Oh, wow. >> Um I sent um your deputy all the information that uh cuz I was there I missed her by like 10 minutes at Centerville, then I heard they went to Westside, and then they came here where the guy that was here did did cuz they shouldn't have done it, but he converted the check to postal money orders. >> Mhm. >> Like I said, that's him. I talked to her, she had a large amount of cash and her >> What she doing? >> Well, she probably had it too. >> Okay. >> Yes, I was just close. >> Yeah, yeah. I appreciate it. We'll get you 6:30, right? >> Yes, sir. This is I don't know if he informed you cuz I spoke with him first. Um Same description from earlier's location, just a different name, same date of birth, just a different name on the license. Same picture as this one. >> Where did you get this information? >> Mhm, from the other location. >> The only problem is >> You can just see the picture and the date of birth. That's it. And the date of birth is the same, just a different name. >> Got you. Got you. >> And a different ticket as well. >> Okay. You've ever been arrested before? You from Georgia? Florida? Louisiana? >> I live in Georgia, though. >> You live in Georgia? What's your Do you know your social? You don't know your social? >> [snorts] >> But that's your name? Okay. >> So you would have a little Louisiana ID? You have a Florida ID? What ID do you have? >> Florida. >> What part of Georgia are you staying in? >> You said Albany? >> Atlanta. >> Oh, Atlanta. I don't have any stuff in there with that on it. But first, let's take a look at what happens, you know, how long it is. You have a picture? >> Yes. >> Okay. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Yes. So underneath I need to call you. For like $5,000. I got it for $72. >> Yeah. >> I understand you want to remain silent, so I'm not going to let you talk. If you want to talk, but if you want to remain silent, this is your choice. Can't do anything about that. All right, you're good now. >> Sometimes I get depressed. I got to restart it. She said what time? 5:00? At 5:02. She said 5:00. >> I get you on this phone today. That's what I was saying today. I don't know if you know her number. >> Okay. I I got a lot of Okay. >> All right, and then so we're going to That's her phone, but not her cord. Okay, so we'll take the phone, but not the cord. It's one of the bank people's cords. >> Okay. >> All right, man. That's fine. Just going to go out this way. I'm going to grab you that arm so you don't fall. Thank you. I'm going to put you out. >> I didn't even have to uh You got that number? >> Can I use your phone? >> I got Oh, just so you know, if take anything in there that's illegal, it's yeah. considered contraband and you'll have another charge. You understand that? Go ahead. >> Is it possible I can get a number so I can know who to call? >> On your phone? >> Yeah. >> No, ma'am. You can drop one of those. >> Excuse me? >> The associate in the silver car fled the moment deputies arrived. Under Illinois versus Wardlow, unprovoked flight is a recognized factor courts weigh in establishing reasonable suspicion. And it confirmed a second actor in the scheme was still at large. Title 18 United States Code Section 510 criminalizes passing a fraudulent Treasury check, up to 10 years per count. Title 18 United States Code Section 1028A adds a mandatory 2-year consecutive sentence no federal judge can suspend or run concurrent. While prosecutors must prove she knew the ID belonged to a real person, two counterfeit IDs, same photo, different names, each paired to a different stolen check, make the unknowing participant defense very difficult to sustain. Florida Statute 831.01 covers forgery and Florida Statute 831.02 covers uttering a forged instrument, both second-degree felonies up to 15 years each. Florida Statute 322.212 adds up to 5 years per counterfeit ID found on her person. Florida Statute 817.568 elevates to a second-degree felony when the value reaches $5,000 or more. At $5,072 seized, she crosses that line. Under United States versus Robinson, items seized incident to a lawful arrest need no additional warrant. Under Miranda versus Arizona, the deputy's clean acknowledgement of her silence protected both her rights and every prior voluntary statements admissibility. The deputy articulated the legal basis from the first sentence, restricted her phone to prevent coordination, and acknowledged her Fifth Amendment rights without pressure. That is how a multi-location federal investigation is supposed to be handled. Marsha Ferrell invoked silence, the right call, but it came after voluntary statements implying knowledge of the scheme structure. After she could not recall her Social Security number and after two purpose-built counterfeit IDs were already in evidence. Post offices are federal property. Any crime inside falls under federal jurisdiction where sentencing is mandatory and the two-year term under Section 1028A cannot be negotiated away regardless of circumstance. The Fifth Amendment only protects you if you use it from the start. Every voluntary statement here became potential trial evidence. State your name if required by state law and nothing else. What stopped this scheme was the real-time alert network of the United States Postal Inspection Service. When institutions share threat information fast, the window for fraud closes. That coordination ended the scheme. Marsha Ferrell was charged with aggravated identity theft and two counts of forgery. Let us know in the comments if there is a topic you would like us to cover. Thank you for watching.