DAVENPORT, IA - On June 5, 2009, Karen Sue Huston, age 27, of Fort Madison, Iowa was sentenced by United States District Court Judge John A. Jarvey to 10 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to passing counterfeit money orders, announced United States Attorney Matthew G. Whitaker. Huston was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release after her imprisonment and to pay an assessment of $100 to the Crime Victim Fund. Huston pled guilty to knowingly passing and attempting to pass false, forged and counterfeit U.S. Postal Money Orders. Huston passed in excess of $139,000 worth of money orders in July 2007.
As part of a common "Nigerian scheme," Huston received counterfeit money orders in the mail and was requested via email to mail them out to others for cashing in return for a fee. Huston admitted to knowing that the scheme was fraudulent. Judge Jarvey granted Huston a downward variance in her sentence based on medical conditions.
This case was prosecuted in the United States Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of Iowa. This investigation was conducted by the U.S. Postal Inspections Service and the Fort Madison Police Department.
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