A 42-year-old Germantown man who stole mail as he delivered newspapers in the upcounty pleaded guilty to credit card fraud and aggravated identity theft in federal court.

Andre Tyler faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison for the fraud charge and a mandatory two years in prison for the aggravated identity theft charge, according to a statement from federal prosecutors at U.S. District Court in Greenbelt.

According to the plea agreement, Tyler took a Discover credit card from the mailbox of a house on Griffith Road in Laytonsville and activated the card. On March 27, Tyler used the card to buy gas and make purchases at Germantown Auto Spa, Pep Boys, Advance Auto Parts, Euro Motorcars and Hot Tint Speed and Sound.

On April 11, Discover suspended the card. On April 19, Tyler called Discover Financial, pretended to be the homeowner at the Griffith Road address and reactivated the card. From March 27 to April 26, Tyler charged $4,744.76 to the card, according to the plea agreement.

Tyler had been delivering The Examiner in the Damascus, Etchison and Laytonsville area for nine or 10 months before his arrest, according to Montgomery County charging documents. He started taking mail from mailboxes sometime before Christmas 2010, according to the documents.

WilCan Services LLC of Dumfries, Va., handles the newspaper deliveries and was notified of the charges against Tyler after his arrest, company owner John Cannady said. Tyler was fired immediately, Cannady said.

Tyler’s attorney, Thomas Tamm, could not be immediately reached by phone Thursday afternoon.

A sentencing hearing is scheduled for 2 p.m. Jan. 30.

dgaines@gazette.net