Five suspected members of a mail theft ring have been charged with crimes affecting hundreds of Kootenai County residents.

The primary suspect is David T. Perry, 34, of Post Falls. Perry has been charged with 65 counts of felony grand fheft, and theft of a firearm.

Perry is currently at large with a warrant for his arrest. Anyone with information as to his whereabouts is asked to contact the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office 208-446-1300. Perry has a previous history of drugs, theft, felon in possession of a firearm, probation and parole violations.

The rash of mail thefts began in November 2016 with most occurring in the Athol and Hauser Lake areas, according to a news release from Kootenai County Sheriff Ben Wolfinger’s office.

The mail being stolen contained checks, packages, titles and other similar items. The stolen checks were then being fraudulently cashed at various locations in Kootenai County. The estimated value of the stolen packages and

checks totals $50,000.

The Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office, working closely with the police departments in Post Falls and Coeur d’Alene, the U.S. Postal Inspector’s Office, and the Bonner and Spokane county sheriff’s offices, worked together to identify the five suspects accused of affecting 400 victims in Kootenai County.

According to Wolfinger’s office, detectives were quickly able to locate a suspect in the check cashing, however, it was also discovered the crime spree involved a large number of other suspects. Hours of work by sheriff’s office investigators resulted in the five people being charged with committing these crimes.

“As the case continues to develop, other parties involved will likely face charges in the near future,” the news release said.

In addition to Perry, the four others charged are Nathanial J. Taylor of Post Falls; Justin A. Kretchmar, also of Post Falls; Marcus S. Hawkins, of Rathdrum; and Kellie E. Mann, of Dickinson, North Dakota.

Taylor, who has a previous criminal history of lewd conduct with a minor, drugs and probation violations, has been charged with grand theft and burglary.

Kretchman is charged with grand theft. His previous criminal history includes burglary, grand theft and urinating in public.

Hawkins is charged with burglary, grand theft and forgery. He has a previous criminal history of cruelty to children, domestic battery, probation violations, driving while suspended and petit theft.

Mann is charged with grand theft and passing fictitious checks.

Taylor, Kretchmar, Hawkins, and Mann are currently incarcerated or have already pled guilty to their charges.