Federal Jury Convicts McCalla Man In Bank Fraud Case

TUSCALOOSA, AL — A federal jury has convicted a McCalla man of bank fraud and related charges for his role in a scheme to steal and deposit checks taken from postal boxes in Tuscaloosa.

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After three days of testimony, jurors found Deizman Deandre Ellis, 24, guilty of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank fraud, aggravated identity theft, possession of stolen mail and fraudulent use of unauthorized access devices.

U.S. District Court Judge Madeline H. Haikala presided over the trial.

Prosecutors said Ellis was a lead participant in a scheme that ran from August 2023 to February 2024, in which conspirators used stolen postal keys to open blue mailboxes, take business and personal checks, deposit them into accomplices’ bank accounts and then withdraw cash.

Co-conspirator Eric Bernard Carter Jr., 27, of Birmingham, pleaded guilty in March to conspiracy to commit bank fraud.

The case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service with help from police in Northport, Rainbow City and Tuscaloosa.

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