Cache man accused of aggravated identity and mail theft

A Cache man with a criminal history, according to investigators, is accused of aggravated identify theft allegations.

Gaige Ryan Shiplet, 28, made his initial appearance Thursday in Comanche County District Court where he received felony charges of uttering forged instruments, possession of forged instruments and identity theft, as well as a count of possession of drug paraphernalia, records indicate.

Cache police served a search warrant Tuesday on Shiplet’s pump camper at 110 Buffalo Drive and took him into custody before searching the home. Numerous checks belonging to other people, identification cards and blank checks with other people’s names on them were discovered along with an AR-15-style air soft rifle, the probable cause affidavit states. A box of 9mm pistol ammunition, drug paraphernalia and potentially liquid methamphetamine also were discovered, police said.

Officers also found other people’s mail and several notebooks with birthdays, Social Security numbers, addresses, numerous cellphones, tablets, laptop computers and printers, the affidavit states. When asked about previous crimes of breaking into other people’s post office boxes and mail theft, Shiplet said he didn’t do it but he knew who did “but forgot his name,” investigators said.

Due to his history of similar crimes, Shiplet’s bond was set at $100,000 with the order to have no contact with any of the alleged victims, records indicate.

Shiplet has prior Comanche County convictions from April 2022 for conspiracy, use of a forged/revoked/stolen credit card, possession of counterfeit money with the intent to circulate, fraudulently obtaining the identification of another and false personation, according to Oklahoma Department of Corrections records.

Shiplet returns to court at 3:30 p.m. June 12 for his preliminary hearing.