United States v. Barry Lee Reid

Appellant Reid was convicted of mail fraud. The conviction stemmed from appellant’s activities in connection with Eden Press, Inc. (Eden Press), of which appellant was president and sole stockholder. Eden Press produced and sold identification cards and various other items, including blank birth certificate forms, metallic Social Security card plates and pamphlet-type books.

On June 14, 1979, the Grand Jury returned a twelve-count indictment charging appellant with using the mail to carry out two separate schemes in violation of the mail fraud statute, 18 U.S.C. § 1341 . These charges were based on the advertisement and sale of the Eden Press identification cards.

Counts one through six of the indictment charged appellant with a scheme to defraud the purchasers of Eden Press identification cards by leading them to believe they were purchasing official state identification cards. Eden Press’s advertisements stated that the cards were “approved for every state” and that the cards were “official” or “official identification”. The cards contained a state name in bold print at the top, a “registration number”, and “expiration date” and a seal resembling that of the State of…