An investigation that began with a single report of mail theft in October has led to a major arrest and the recovery of thousands of stolen items across three counties, according to the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office.
The case began when an El Dorado County resident reported that his mail—including a newly issued credit card—had been stolen. Detectives launched an investigation and soon identified a person of interest, Matthew Henson, whose alleged activity expanded far beyond the initial theft report. According to investigators, Henson had unlawfully charged thousands of dollars throughout El Dorado, Sacramento and Amador counties using the stolen credit card.
As the case grew, detectives partnered with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service to conduct a joint investigation. Working together, the agencies authored and served several search warrants at multiple locations connected to the suspect. What they uncovered revealed a sweeping mail and identity theft operation.
Among the items recovered were firearms, ammunition, illegal mailbox keys, fake driver’s licenses, credit card embossing machinery used to create fraudulent cards and thousands of pieces of stolen mail. Investigators also located license plate covers believed to be used in efforts to evade identification.
Henson was arrested and booked into the El Dorado County Jail in Placerville with bail set at $615,000. He faces a series of felony charges, including identity theft, grand theft, illegal use of a credit card, felon in possession of a firearm and felon in possession of ammunition.
In a statement, the Sheriff’s Office said the arrest underscores its commitment to its mission of “total enforcement on crime and criminals” and “total care for victims, witnesses and the community.”
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