CHARLOTTE, N.C. – 1/27/26 – A repeat mail thief who fled to Mexico to avoid prosecution appeared in court today on new federal charges, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Erik Magana, 41, of Charlotte, is charged with bank fraud and two counts of receipt and possession of stolen mail.
In 2020, Magana was convicted of stealing thousands of pieces of mail in North and South Carolina, and was sentenced to prison followed by a term of supervised release. Beginning in 2024, after Magana was released from prison and no longer was under court supervision, he allegedly began to steal large quantities of mail, from mailboxes around Mecklenburg, Union, and Gaston Counties, and elsewhere. Magana allegedly stole business and individual checks, credit cards, tax forms, financial statements, packages, and other documents containing victims’ personal identifying information. Magana used the stolen mail to engage in a bank fraud scheme by depositing stolen and forged business and individual checks into bank accounts he controlled and then withdrawing as much of the funds as possible before the fraud was detected.
Magana fled to Mexico prior to being indicted in September 2024. The U.S. Marshal’s Service facilitated Magana’s arrest and return from Mexico to the United States to face prosecution.
Following today’s arraignment in federal court, Magana was remanded into custody. If convicted, he faces up to five years in prison for each mail theft charge, and up to 30 years in prison for the bank fraud offense. A federal district court judge will determine the ultimate sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson thanked the U.S. Postal Inspection Service for their investigation of the case. Ferguson also commended the U.S. Marshals Service for securing Magana’s return to the Western District of North Carolina and recognized the Union County Sheriff’s office for assisting in this case.
The charges against the defendant are merely allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
