ST. LOUIS – 9/23/26 – A St. Louis man on Wednesday admitted trying to buy a truck full of mail from a postal carrier.

Ty-Hunter Collins, 28, of St. Louis, pleaded guilty to one count of bribery of a public official. He admitted approaching a postal carrier in the JCPenney store at the West County Center mall on Dec. 15, 2025. The carrier was in uniform and returning to her truck at the time. Collins asked the carrier if she would sell the mail in her truck and her postal route to him for $20,000. Collins also showed her a photo of cash on his phone. When she refused, he said he would give her $50,000 when it was “all said and done,” Collins admitted in his plea agreement. The carrier left the mall and reported the incident.

Collins is scheduled to be sentenced on December 21. The charge carries a potential penalty of up to 15 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both prison and a fine.

The U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jolene Taaffe is prosecuting the case.