United States v. Arnold Marvin Ranta

Defendant Arnold Marvin Ranta was charged with two counts of violating 18 U.S.C. § 1708: (1) stealing a letter from the United States mail; and (2) knowing possession of a United States Treasury check unlawfully taken from the mail. A jury found Ranta guilty of the second count and he appeals his conviction. We affirm.

We relate the factual background underlying this conviction. Clayton Amundson, a disabled Vietnam veteran, was to receive “training allowance” cheeks from the United States Treasury while attending the University of Minnesota, Duluth Branch. At the University, Amundson lived in…