Deputies: Suspected mail thieves arrested in Ukiah

Mendocino County authorities have arrested two people suspected of stealing a large volume of mail from numerous locations in the Ukiah and Redwood Valley areas.

Charles Dale Maxfield, 44, and Madalena Louisa Acosta, 40, were booked in Mendocino County Jail on suspicion of mail theft, conspiracy, possession of stolen property and possession of a controlled substance.

The arrests are part of an ongoing investigation into a possible mail theft ring, the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement Sunday. Due to the large volume of stolen mail recovered, the United States Postal Inspectors Office in Sonoma County is assisting in the investigation.

Authorities began connecting dots through a series of events and arrests over the past few days and a collaboration between the Ukiah Police Department and the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office.

A sheriff’s deputy was dispatched Thursday to investigate a report of mail stolen from a Redwood Valley home. At the same time, Ukiah police were investigating two separate incidents involving fraudulent use of stolen checks. One involved Maxfield, who was arrested inside a Ukiah department store and had in his possession a checkbook believed to have been stolen from a Redwood Valley residence, authorities said.

In a separate incident, another suspect, who was not in custody, attempted to pass a check from the same checkbook at a south Ukiah banking institution, the Sheriff’s Office said.

Later on Thursday Ukiah police recovered additional stolen mail around the dumpster of a nearby motel that was being disposed of by another suspect.

On Friday, investigators with the Sheriff’s Office obtained a search warrant for a hotel room rented by Maxfield and Acosta. Investigators said they found in the room more suspected stolen mail, including from Redwood Valley, Ukiah and Lake County.

Drugs also were found in the room, authorities said. That led to the arrest of Acosta.

Two additional suspects are being sought in relation to the thefts.

In light of the large number of reported thefts, the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office warned people to check their mail early and bring in any delivered packages as soon as possible, or use a more secure way of receiving mail.

You can reach Staff Writer Meg McConahey at meg.mcconahey@pressdemocrat.com or 707-521-5204.