Current Events Featuring The Thief

DENVER – U.S. Marshal's task force investigators discovered new evidence of identity theft when they set a trap for a Littleton man who they say recently violated his supervised release after being convicted of possession of stolen mail.

Matthew Looper, 24, was arrested when investigators set up a meeting to buy items that Looper advertised on the Internet, according Supervisory Deputy U.S. Marshal Dave Floyd.

Deputies say they caught Looper with multiple fake ID cards, drugs and pirated software.

Looper currently faces charges in Douglas County for forging a government document, criminal impersonation, obstructing a police officer, driving under the influence and possessing a false driver's license.

In June 2005, a federal grand jury indicted Looper on charges of ID fraud and possessing stolen mail. However, the ID fraud charge was dropped in a plea bargain.

Before his sentencing, Looper wrote a letter to Federal Judge Robert Blackburn.

"I've messed up my life your honor," wrote Looper, "I thought my crime was one with no victims. I was wrong."

Looper spent 200 days in jail while waiting for the matter to be resolved. After the plea bargain, Looper was released with time served and sentenced to three years probation.

In November 2007, Looper wrote Blackburn requesting that he be released from probation early.

"I have certainly learned my lesson for what I have done, and have put that part of my life behind me," Looper wrote.

"I am not a risk to the community," he said, "I have shown all signs of a positive transformation and respectfully ask you to consider my request for early termination of supervised release."

Judge Blackburn denied Looper's request.

He violated his supervised release for possession of stolen mail charges earlier this year, according to Floyd.

Looper also pleaded guilty to state charges of possessing drug paraphernalia in Sept., 2005.

Looper will likely face new charges in connection with the items deputies found when they arrested him this week.

Source: http://www.9news.com/rss/article.aspx?storyid=100393