A New York man was sentenced to two years in federal prison Wednesday for using stolen identities to buy $134,000 worth of stamps from post offices across Connecticut and neighboring states, federal prosecutors announced.

Jose Bautista, 45, of the Bronx, pleaded guilty in May to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft stemming from a scheme that targeted postal locations throughout the region between 2019 and 2021.

U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Meyer also ordered Bautista to pay $134,156 in restitution and serve three years of supervised release following his prison term.

According to court documents, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service launched its investigation after noticing suspicious purchasing patterns at multiple Connecticut post offices. Bautista and co-conspirators used fraudulent credit cards tied to stolen personal information to buy large quantities of stamps, which they then resold for cash.

The scheme involved more than 200 fraudulent transactions across Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, and Massachusetts. Investigators found that Bautista’s network specifically targeted smaller post offices where large stamp purchases might draw less scrutiny.

“This defendant exploited the postal system and victimized innocent consumers whose identities were stolen,” U.S. Attorney Vanessa Roberts Avery said in a statement. “Today’s sentence reflects the serious nature of these crimes.”

Federal investigators traced the fraud through financial records showing Bautista and his associates purchased stamps using credit cards that didn’t belong to them, then sold the stamps to third parties at discounted rates. The buyers, often unaware the stamps were purchased fraudulently, used them for legitimate mailing purposes.

The case highlights growing concerns about identity theft schemes targeting government services. While Politics & Government issues typically focus on legislative matters, federal prosecutors say postal fraud cases have increased as criminals exploit weaknesses in payment processing systems.

Bautista’s sentencing comes as Connecticut officials grapple with various forms of fraud affecting state residents. The case demonstrates how criminal networks often cross state lines to exploit vulnerabilities in federal systems.

Postal Inspector in Charge Michael Donnelly said the investigation required coordination between multiple field offices to track the scope of the fraud. “Criminals who target the postal system undermine public trust in essential government services,” Donnelly said.

Court records show Bautista admitted to his role as a key organizer of the conspiracy. He recruited others to make purchases using the fraudulent cards and coordinated the resale of stamps through various channels.

The investigation revealed that the network operated with sophisticated methods, including rotating between different post offices to avoid detection and using various forms of identification tied to stolen personal information.

Federal prosecutors said victims of the identity theft faced financial hardship as they worked to resolve fraudulent charges on their credit accounts. Some victims didn’t discover the fraud until months after their information was used.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Nelson and Sarah Karwan. Defense attorneys argued for a lighter sentence, citing Bautista’s cooperation with investigators and personal circumstances, but Judge Meyer said the scope of the fraud warranted significant prison time.

Bautista must surrender to federal authorities by March 15 to begin serving his sentence. Three co-conspirators previously pleaded guilty to related charges and received sentences ranging from 18 months to three years in prison.

The Postal Inspection Service continues investigating similar schemes and has enhanced security protocols at post offices to detect suspicious purchasing patterns. Officials encourage postal customers to report unusual activity or requests for large stamp purchases using multiple payment methods.

Connecticut post offices have implemented additional verification procedures for high-value transactions, though postal officials declined to specify exact measures to avoid compromising security.

The restitution order requires Bautista to repay the full amount of fraudulent purchases, though prosecutors acknowledged that recovering the money may prove challenging given his financial situation.

Federal sentencing guidelines typically recommend prison terms of 24 to 30 months for similar fraud cases involving amounts over $100,000, making Bautista’s two-year sentence consistent with standard practice.