Mother and son named in alleged fraud ring

AUBURN, Wash — U.S. Postal Police discovered that Shannon Rodin and her son, Jeffrey Murphy, worked together in an elaborate fraud ring.

Court documents show they are two of the four people named in an investigation where 28 "blue boxes" were broken into in post offices in King County and Pierce County last year.

Murphy is in jail on the forgery charge connected to the fraud and an earlier theft charge on $25,000 bail.

His mother is not in jail.

When we went to their house in Auburn, someone at the house got defensive when we asked about the allegations.

We showed him court documents that outline the allegations of the stolen mail.

The man told us, "I don't really give a [expletive]."

Jerome Mika lives next door and wasn't surprised to hear about the charges.

"Wow yeah that makes more sense now because people were going through our mailboxes, too."

Postal Police started connecting the dots in the forgery ring in July when a "blue box" in front of the Auburn Post Office was broken into three times in one week.

Local banks were alerted to look out for checks written by Rodin and her son.

The suspects also went to check-cashing stores.

But detectives found the biggest paper trail at their house. Auburn Police found stacks of checks inside.

We asked the man at the house if there was ever stolen mail inside and he answered, "Get off my property.”

I brought to his attention that I was on the sidewalk, to which he replied, “I don’t give a [expletive] that's harassment don’t make me call the police right now."

We called police and officers said they have been to the house more times than they can count.

They've found stolen property there numerous times and have arrested various people there over the years.

On the door of the house there was a message that read:

"We might not have it all together but together we have it all. Yes detective, we are all family."

Shannon Rodin has been arrested for drug charges in the past.

Her son Jeffrey Murphy has also been in jail for theft.

"My kids are not allowed to walk down that street because of that house," said another neighbor.

All four suspects are scheduled to appear in court for the fraud charges on Monday, March 17.

KIRO