Fraudulent Mail Operations Worth $10 Million in Las Vegas Result in Prison Terms for Perpetrators
In a case that first came to light in 2019, three men from Southern Nevada have been sentenced to prison terms for their involvement in a multimillion-dollar prize scheme. The scheme, which operated from a Las Vegas warehouse between 2010 and 2018, defrauded victims of over $10 million.
The United States Postal Service (USPS) launched an investigation into the scheme, and on September 19, 2023, a news article was posted detailing the indictments against the defendants. The operators of the scheme included several entities such as Imperial Award Services, Assets Unlimited, Pacific Disbursement Reporting, Special Money Managers, Price Awards, and Money Securities.
The mailings led recipients to believe they had won a cash prize, but in reality, victims who paid fees did not receive anything of value. The defendants, including the three sentenced men - William Brown, Joshua Tomsheck, and Lucas Gaffney - tried to hide their activities by changing company names and using straw owners.
Each man was convicted of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and mail fraud. Miguel Castro, 58, also of Las Vegas, was sentenced to 19.5 years. Mario Castro, 55, of Las Vegas, was sentenced to 20 years. Jose Luis Mendez, 49, of Henderson, was sentenced to 14 years.
Attorneys for the three sentenced men claim their clients are innocent and will appeal the convictions and sentences. Four other defendants in the case - Patti Kern, Andrea Burrow, Edgar Del Rio, and Sean O'Connor - pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud earlier.
The U.S. Department of Justice was granted a court order to shut down the fraudulent operation, and USPS inspectors were given warrants to search the Las Vegas warehouse where the mailings were sent.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton stated that the defendants used lies and deceit to steal from the elderly and vulnerable.
This case serves as a reminder to be vigilant against fraudulent schemes, especially those that target the most vulnerable members of our society. As more details about the case become available, we will continue to provide updates. The article was last updated on June 23, 2025.
- The scheme, operateing from a Las Vegas warehouse between 2010 and 2018, was part of a larger casino-culture in Las Vegas, defrauding victims of over $10 million in a multimillion-dollar prize scheme.
- The trial for the scheme, which involved several entities such as Imperial Award Services, Assets Unlimited, Pacific Disbursement Reporting, Special Money Managers, Price Awards, and Money Securities, was covered under general news and crime-and-justice sections.
- The United States Department of Justice, in their efforts to combat crime and fraud, was granted a court order to shut down the fraudulent operation and USPS inspectors were given warrants to search the Las Vegas warehouse where the mailings were sent.
- The case, which first came to light in 2019, sheds light on the importance of addressing mail fraud within the casino-and-gambling industry and serves as a warning to be vigilant against similar schemes targeting the elderly and vulnerable.
