PORT TOWNSEND — A man police say was running an extensive identity and mail theft operation across the region is in custody in the Jefferson County jail.
Adam Justin Lysiak, 38, was being held in the Jefferson County jail today on investigation of identity theft and possession of stolen property.
Bail was set at $250,000 during his first court appearance today.
He will face formal charges Friday, said Officer Luke Bogues of the Port Townsend Police Department.
Bogues said that police believe Lysiak traveled nightly through Jefferson County and neighboring counties to steal mail, and used the mail to create fake identities, forge identification cards, pass bad checks and use stolen cards.
“The scope of Lysiak’s fraud scheme was the largest yet investigated by the Port Townsend Police,” Bogues said in a prepared statement.
Lysiak was arrested Tuesday at an apartment in the 1500 block of Sherman Street in Port Townsend by Port Townsend police, with assistance from the Port Angeles and Sequim police departments, as well as the U.S. Marshal’s Service, Department of Corrections, Clallam County Sheriff’s Office and Olympic National Park, Bogues said.
Bogues said that officers found more than 1,000 pounds of mail, along with computers, printers and other evidence in a search of the apartment and a car.
“The evidence is significant is expected to take weeks to process,” Bogues said, adding that investigators from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Secrete Service were providing help.
“Washington’s postal theft law makes every 10 pieces of stolen mail a separate felony charge,” Bogues said.
“With thousands of pieces of stolen mail recovered, potentially more than 100 felony charges could be filed against Lysiak,” he added.
Merchants are asked to contact police — at 360-385-2322 during business hours — if they believe Lysiak used fraudulent checks or stolen credit cards at their businesses.
