Memphis, TN – 5/14/26 – On May 8, 2026, United States District Judge Thomas L. Parker sentenced Lakita Carroll, 46, to three and a half years in prison for her role in a conspiracy to commit bank fraud. On April 15, 2026, Judge Parker sentenced Carroll’s son, Marshun Lewis, 25, to 42 years in prison for committing a series of armed robberies of United States postal carriers in August 2023 and October, November, and December of 2024 in the Western District of Tennessee. United States Attorney D. Michael Dunavant announced the sentences today.
According to information presented in court, Lewis conducted a series of armed robberies of United States postal carriers as a masked gunman for the purpose of obtaining keys to unlock blue collection mailboxes throughout the city of Memphis. He used the keys to steal checks and money orders from the mail for use in committing bank fraud. He then altered the payee information on the checks and money orders for deposit into third party accounts for withdrawal. Investigators located his vehicle on surveillance video at the scene of the robberies.
Postal Inspectors served a search warrant at his home and located stolen mail and the keychain for one of the stolen keys. Text messages located on his phone linked him to each of the robberies and several co-conspirators in the bank fraud scheme. Inspectors determined the total amount of stolen checks and money orders exceeded $940,000.
Carroll assisted Lewis by depositing stolen checks and money orders in her bank account. Carroll pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and one count of bank fraud.
After a four-day trial, Lewis was convicted as charged of four counts of robbery, four counts of brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, one count of bank fraud, and one count of possession of stolen mail. There is no parole in the federal system.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, “In order to break the cycle of violent crime in Memphis, we must break the generational lifestyles of lawlessness. This mother’s greed led to her son’s extreme violence, and their brazen selfishness has landed them both in federal prison. Their family business driven by a culture of criminality is over.”
“As the law enforcement arm of the U.S. Postal Service, the Postal Inspection Service prioritizes the safety of our employees,” said Atlanta Division Inspector in Charge Rodney Hopkins. “Make no mistake. We will use every resource available when our postal carriers are robbed. Postal carriers are an integral part of our communities, and the Inspection Service is committed to ensuring their safety, protecting the sanctity of the U.S. Mail, and safeguarding the public’s trust in the Postal Service by holding those that commit violent crimes and theft accountable for their actions. We extend our appreciation to the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners for their support in this case.”
This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) and the Memphis Police Department (MPD).
Assistant United States Attorneys Jennifer Musselwhite and William Bateman prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States government.
