ATHENS, Ohio (WCMH) — Three Athens County residents are being accused of stealing hundreds of mail items from southeast Ohioans and forging the checks they found inside.

(Courtesy Photo/Athens County Sheriff’s Office)

Over a weeklong period in February, the Athens County Sheriff’s Office arrested three people — Jessica O’Rourke, 38, Brionna McDaniel, 24, and Joseph O’Rourke, 20 — in Albany, Ohio, on accusations that they stole hundreds of letters and documents mailed to residents’ homes. The group then forged the checks inside, the sheriff’s office announced Thursday in conjunction with the Southeast Major Crimes Task Force.

On Thursday, Feb. 16, the sheriff’s office executed a search warrant at a home on the 500 block of Pearlwood Road in Albany, where deputies found hundreds of pieces of mail and information tying the suspects to the crime.

Detectives were aided by Athens County residents who claimed to have had their mail stolen, the sheriff’s office said. Alleged victims provided law enforcement with photos, videos and descriptions of the suspects.

Deputies on Tuesday arrested and charged Jessica O’Rourke, of Nelsonville, with three felony offenses: forgery, receiving stolen property and engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, according to the sheriff’s office.

McDaniel, of Nelsonville, and Joseph O’Rourke, of Albany, were arrested in Portsmouth, Ohio on Wednesday, the sheriff’s office said. Deputies charged McDaniel with forgery, receiving stolen property and engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity — all felonies — and Joseph O’Rourke with felonious burglary and stolen property, a first-degree misdemeanor.

All three suspects are in custody at the Southeastern Ohio Regional Jail. The sheriff’s office said it is using the stolen mail items to create a database of potential victims impacted by the thefts.