“The armed robbery of a federal employee is an attack on the integrity of our public institutions and the safety of those who serve this community,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “After stealing USPS master keys, De La Cruz used those keys to gain unauthorized access to mailboxes throughout the region, stealing mail, packages, and financial information belonging to residents. His conduct was calculated, far?reaching, and deeply harmful to victims whose mail he targeted. Today’s plea ensures he will be held fully accountable for the damage he inflicted on residents throughout the District and beyond.”

De La Cruz, aka “Black Migo,” pleaded guilty before Judge Sparkle L. Sooknanan to one count of robbery of mail, money, or other property of the United States. The charge carries a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison. Judge Sooknanan scheduled sentencing for December 8.

According to court documents, on Aug. 10, 2024, De La Cruz approached a U.S. Postal Service employee who was performing maintenance on a USPS collection box in Northwest Washington and demanded the employee’s USPS Arrow Keys. The employee complied, and De La Cruz fled with the keys.

Using the stolen keys, De La Cruz carried out a series of high-volume mail thefts from residential buildings across the region. Investigators tied him to the crimes through surveillance footage, Instagram posts, and cell phone tracking. His targets included locations on the 1400 block of R Street NW; the outdoor mail area of 17^th Street NW; and mailboxes located at 2419 Ontario Road NW

De La Cruz also used a credit card stolen from the mail to make purchases for his own benefit.

The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Army Criminal Investigation Division.

The matter is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Akhtar.

See photos here.

According to court documents, on July 11, 2024, a masked individual approached a U.S. Postal Service (USPS) mail carrier on his route in Virginia Beach, brandished a handgun, and demanded the victim’s arrow key. An arrow key is a master key used to access a variety of mail repositories, including blue collection boxes, outdoor parcel lockers, and apartment mailbox panels in a given area. The masked individual fled to a car in which Cameron Hunter Brown, 29, was waiting, and Brown and the masked individual fled in the vehicle.

Law enforcement identified the vehicle and located it on July 17, 2024. While the vehicle was stationary in an ATM drive-thru lane, officers attempted a traffic stop and instructed Brown to turn off the vehicle. Instead, Brown reversed out of the drive-thru lane, struck the credit-union building, sped through an unoccupied ATM lane, and fled with police in pursuit.

During the pursuit, brown tossed a handgun from the driver-side window onto a sidewalk. The handgun, which was later recovered, was equipped with a machinegun conversion device (MCD), rendering it capable of fully automatic fire. The handgun had been reported stolen from Chesapeake.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division and Homeland Security Investigations Washington, D.C., investigated this case with assistance from the Hampton Police Division.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Devon E.A. Heath prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

Cordova, 51, of San Jose, was indicted by a federal grand jury on January 23, 2025, on charges of federal robbery and assault.  He pleaded guilty to both counts of the indictment on March 31, 2026.  According to the plea agreement, Cordova admitted that he went inside a United States Postal Service (USPS) mail truck with the intent to steal mail.  A USPS letter carrier approached him as Cordova was taking mail.  Cordova punched the letter carrier in the face, knocking him to the ground.  Cordova then got on top of the letter carrier and continued to punch him several times in the face and head.

According to court documents, the letter carrier sustained a broken nose, a fractured orbital socket, and had a permanent metal plate placed inside of his face due to his injuries.  Judge Freeman found that Cordova qualified as career offender under the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.

“Today’s sentence underscores our unwavering commitment to protecting federal employees who serve the public every day.  Anyone who attacks postal workers—or any public servant—will be held fully accountable,” said United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian.

“Today’s sentence reflects the seriousness of the crime committed in this case.  Hardworking people come into your neighborhoods to deliver mail, they deserve respect and protection,” said U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) San Francisco Division Inspector in Charge Stephen M. Sherwood.  “Postal inspectors will not relent from bringing anyone who harms a postal worker to justice.  I want to thank the San Jose Police Department for their excellent response and teamwork and the Northern District of California U.S. Attorney’s Office for their determination in prosecuting this case.”

The defendant was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service for transport to the Bureau of Prisons.  In addition to the prison term, Judge Freeman sentenced Cordova to a 3-year period of supervised release.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Neal C. Hong is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Sahib Kaur.  This prosecution is the result of an investigation by USPIS and the San Jose Police Department.

Read PEN’s previous coverage here.

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.

A Superseding Information was filed on December 1, 2025, charging Sheard, 23, of Little Rock, with one count of armed robbery of a postal employee. Sheard pleaded guilty to the charge on December 1, 2025. Judge Rudofsky also sentenced Sheard to serve three years’ supervised release and ordered restitution in the amount of $44,614.67. There is no parole in the federal system.

An investigation revealed that on February 26, 2024, Sheard, armed with a loaded Glock 20, model Gen 5 firearm equipped with an extended magazine, robbed a postal carrier of their postal key. The postal carrier was delivering mail to an apartment complex when Sheard approached with his hand on a pistol which was tucked into his waistband. Subsequent to Sheard’s arrest while incarcerated, he made several phone calls to different individuals discussing selling the postal key for cash and the robbery. In one phone call, Sheard stated they need to “find [the postal employee] on Facebook and chop [the postal employee] down.”

Sheard’s criminal history includes convictions for possession of a controlled substance with purpose to deliver, felony fleeing, and obstruction of governmental operations.

This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service with assistance from the Little Rock Police Department.

Cordova, 49, of San Jose, was indicted by a federal grand jury on January 23, 2025, on charges of robbery and assault.  He pleaded guilty to both counts of the indictment.  In connection with pleading guilty, Cordova admitted that he went inside a United States Postal Service (USPS) mail truck with the intent to steal mail.  A USPS letter carrier approached him as Cordova was taking mail.  Cordova punched the letter carrier in the face, knocking him to the ground.  Cordova then got on top of the letter carrier and continued to punch him several times in the face and head.

United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian and U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) San Francisco Division Inspector in Charge Stephen M. Sherwood made the announcement.

Cordova’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for June 2, 2026 before U.S. District Court Judge Beth Labson Freeman.  Cordova faces a maximum statutory penalty of 25 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for Robbery of a United States Mail Carrier in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2114(a) and 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for Assaulting a Federal Employee in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 111(a) and (b).  Any sentence will be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Neal C. Hong is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Sahib Kaur.  This prosecution is the result of an investigation by USPIS and the San Jose Police Department.

According to the indictment, on or about January 12, 2026, DARBY assaulted a United States Postal Carrier of the United States Postal Service during the performance of his official duties. During the assault, DARBY discharged a deadly weapon.

If convicted of the assault count, DARBY could receive up to twenty (20) years imprisonment, up to a $250,000.00 fine, up to three (3) years of supervised release, and a mandatory $100.00 special assessment fee.

If convicted of discharging a firearm during a crime of violence count, DARBY could receive a mandatory minimum of ten (10) years imprisonment and a maximum of life imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, up to a maximum of 3 years supervised release, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.

If convicted of the felon in possession of ammunition count, DARBY could receive up to 15 years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, up to 3 years of supervised release, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.

United States Attorney Courcelle reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the United States Postal Inspectors and the New Orleans Police Department for investigating this matter. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul J. Hubbell, I.V. of the Violent Crime Unit.

As the evidence at trial demonstrated, Gaspard approached a United States Postal Service worker who was delivering mail at an apartment complex in Livingston Parish and began using aggressive and racially charged language. Gaspard’s conduct interfered with the postal worker’s duties and quickly rose to intimidation, assault, and a physical confrontation, which caused bodily injury to the postal worker.

As a result of his conviction, Gaspard now faces a maximum term of imprisonment of twenty years, as well as a fine of up to $250,000 and supervised release.

This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service and Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jamie L. Flowers, Jr. and Ellison C. Travis.

Imanol Rios-Franco, 26, of Canton, was sentenced by Senior District Court Judge Patti B. Saris on Feb. 10, 2026, to 35 months in federal prison, followed by one year of supervised release. Rios-Franco was also ordered to pay $12,528 in restitution. In November 2025, Rios-Franco pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank fraud, and conspiracy to steal and possess stolen mail.

Brandon Baez, 23, of North Attleboro, was sentenced by Senior District Court Judge Patti B. Saris on Feb. 12, 2026, to two years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release. Baez was also ordered to pay $10,285 in restitution. In November 2025, Baez pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank fraud, and conspiracy to steal and possess stolen mail.

From at least June 2023 until February 2024, the defendants and their co-conspirators stole mail from USPS collection boxes, looking to steal checks. After they stole these checks, they washed the hand-written ink from the checks using commercially available chemicals. The checks were then re-issued to the co-conspirators or other bank accounts that they controlled. After the checks were fraudulently deposited, the defendants and their co-conspirators withdrew money from ATMs or bought money orders with those fraudulently obtained funds. A review of the co-conspirators’ cellphones revealed that they had collaborated to advance this criminal scheme.

United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Thomas A. Greco, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Boston Field Division; and Nicholas Bucciarelli, Acting Inspector in Charge for the Boston Office of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Boston and Wellesley Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lucy Sun and Philip C. Cheng of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.

This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Boston is comprised of agents and officers from HSI, FBI, DEA, ATF, USMS, IRS-CI, USPIS, DOL-OIG and DSS, as well as several state and local law enforcement agencies, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts.

The robbery occurred on March 31, 2020, in the 1900 block of North Albany Avenue in Chicago’s Logan Square neighborhood.  DONTE HUGHES and another individual approached the carrier from behind as she was delivering mail.  The other individual wrapped both arms around the carrier, preventing her from moving, while Hughes reached into the carrier’s pocket and demanded property.  The victim complied with the demand and turned over official USPS property.  Hughes and the other individual then fled the area on foot.

Hughes was arrested in 2024.  At the time of the robbery, he was on probation for a firearm-related conviction in state court.

Hughes, 34, of Chicago, pleaded guilty last year to a federal robbery charge.  On Feb. 4, 2026, U.S. District Judge Jeffrey I. Cummings sentenced Hughes to four years and three months in federal prison for the robbery of the postal carrier.

The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Mary T. Johnson, Acting Inspector-in-Charge of the Chicago Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Valuable assistance was provided by the Chicago Police Department.  The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Chang.