Men used USPS key to steal mail in Florida, defraud people of over $300,000, feds say
Two men used a stolen U.S. Postal Service key to steal checks from the mail in a scheme that defrauded multiple people out of more than $300,000, federal prosecutors said.
Jamel Williams and Levar Baker changed the names of the payees listed on the checks and deposited them at banks located in central Florida between March 2023 and August 2023, according to prosecutors.
Several checks were worth thousands of dollars, court documents show.
Now, a federal judge in Orlando has sentenced Williams, 26, of Altamonte Springs to four years and six months in prison and Baker, 21, of Orlando, to three years and six months in prison in connection with the mail theft, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida said in a Jan. 15 news release.
Williams and Baker pleaded guilty to conspiracy, bank fraud, and aggravated identity theft months before they were sentenced, prosecutors said.
Attorneys separately representing the men didn’t immediately respond to McClatchy News’ requests for comment.
Williams and Baker defrauded people of $307,185.65 through their scheme, according to prosecutors.
They didn’t act alone, according to court documents.
Williams was caught promoting “the scheme to defraud” and recruiting others to take part in it over social media, an indictment says.
He repeatedly messaged people about “keys and mail keys” on Instagram, authorities learned after securing a search warrant for his Instagram account, according to Williams’ plea agreement.
About two months after a USPS mail carrier was robbed of a USPS “arrow” key at gun point in Altamonte Springs in January 2023, Williams mentioned someone he knew had an Altamonte Springs area key in one Instagram message, the plea agreement shows.
On Williams’ phone, investigators found a photo of this arrow key, according to the plea agreement, which says the image was taken with his device.
Williams also discussed having “another key” for Lake Mary, about a 10-mile drive northeast from Altamonte Springs, in an Instagram message, according to the filing.
USPS mail carriers use these “universal” arrow keys to unlock mail collection boxes, outdoor lockers for parcels and more.
Ultimately, Williams and Baker were caught on surveillance footage depositing stolen checks at Navy Federal Credit Union locations in Winter Park, Kissimmee and Altamonte Springs.
Katherine Puzone, a federal defender who represented Williams, noted Williams took “responsibility for his mistakes” by pleading guilty in a sentencing memorandum she submitted on his behalf.
Attorney Mark Anthony Reyes, who represented Baker, wrote in a sentencing memorandum that Baker didn’t steal the arrow key and wasn’t involved in stealing the checks.
“Mr. Baker’s involvement in this offense was that he was called upon to deposit funds into various bank accounts, he did so and was paid for his efforts,” Reyes wrote.
Reyes noted that Baker was 19 when he was involved in the scheme.
“He recognizes now that his actions at the time were rash, foolish, criminal, and a seemingly easy way to make money. Like many other criminal defendants, he now wishes that he can go back in time and make wiser choices,” Reyes wrote.
Mail theft in the US
During the early COVID-19 pandemic, there was a sharp increase in mail theft complaints, according to a September 2023 report issued by the U.S. Postal Service’s Office of Inspector General.
From March 2020 through February 2021, there were 299,020 mail theft complaints — a 161% increase “compared to the same period in the previous year,” the report said.
Suspected mail theft can be reported to the U.S. Postal Inspection Service online or by calling 1-877-876-2455.
This story was originally published January 16, 2025 at 11:31 AM with the headline "Men used USPS key to steal mail in Florida, defraud people of over $300,000, feds say."
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