Tallahassee, Florida – 4/20/26 – Christy Cody Holgate, 49, and Kim Demetrius Benson, 52, have been indicted in federal court. Both were charged with one count of conspiracy to commit mail theft. Also, Holgate was charged with four counts of theft of mail and Benson was charged with one count of theft of mail. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the charges.

Holgate and Benson appeared in federal court for their arraignment before United States Magistrate Judge Martin A. Fitzpatrick in Tallahassee, Florida. Jury trial is scheduled for June 2, 2026, before Chief District Court Judge Allen C. Winsor in Tallahassee, Florida.

If convicted, Holgate and Benson face a maximum of five years’ imprisonment for conspiracy to commit mail theft. Each count of theft of mail carries a maximum of five years’ imprisonment.

This case was jointly investigated by the Tallahassee Police Department and the United States Postal Inspection Service. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Justin M. Keen.

An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General.  To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.