Edmilson Rodrigues of Exeter was sentenced on Mar. 26 in federal court in Rhode Island for his involvement in a bank fraud scheme and for being a felon in possession of ammunition, according to United States Attorney Charles C. Calenda.
Rodrigues, age 27, received a total sentence of 58 months’ imprisonment from U.S. District Court Judge Melissa R. DuBose. The sentence includes 46 months for conspiracy to commit bank fraud and being a felon in possession of ammunition, with an additional consecutive 12 months for violations of supervised release. Rodrigues pleaded guilty to the charges on December 19, 2025.
United States Attorney Charles C. Calenda said, “Rodrigues’ decision to engage in yet another check fraud scheme while on supervised released reflects a blatant disregard for the law and for the victims he chose to exploit.” Calenda added, “This office will not hesitate to hold accountable those who repeatedly prey on others for personal gain and we will continue to work alongside our law enforcement partners to protect the public.”
Court documents show that Rodrigues participated over several years in stealing mail and producing counterfeit checks as part of an ongoing scheme. Initially involved with depositing fraudulent checks himself and withdrawing funds, he later recruited others into similar activities, which increased their legal exposure and financial losses.
The documents also indicate that Rodrigues traveled outside the area using false identification as part of his pattern of fraudulent conduct extending beyond single incidents.
Homeland Security Investigations New England Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Krol said, “Rodrigues was still on supervised release for check fraud when he chose to return to his criminal ways and launch yet another check fraud conspiracy. He not only stole checks from the mail but also recruited others to join in his scheme to steal the hard-earned money of innocent people to enrich himself. This repeated disregard for the law has earned him several more years in federal prison.” Krol added that financial crime remains a top priority: “Fraud and financial crime are a top priority for HSI and we’re working alongside our law enforcement partners to help Rhode Islanders keep their money safe.”
According to authorities, Rodrigues has previous federal convictions related to similar fraudulent activities.
Assistant United States Attorneys Christine Lowell and Denise Barton prosecuted this case following an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations with support from Providence Police Department and Newport Police Department.
