Justin M. Stevens, Mail Theft, Indiana 2021

Federal authorities have cracked down on a mail thief in northeastern Indiana, with a recent sentencing serving as a reminder of the severity of the crime.

Justin M. Stevens, 30 years old, of Avilla, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge Holly A. Brady after pleading guilty to two counts of theft of mail and one count of receipt of stolen mail, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.

Between August and October 2021, the United States Postal Inspection Service received reports of residential mail thefts in the Fort Wayne and Huntertown areas. On October 16, 2021, Stevens was apprehended in the early morning hours attempting to steal mail from a mail receptacle in Huntertown, Indiana. At that time, his SUV contained approximately two hundred pieces of stolen mail.

Bank records indicated a check stolen from a homeowner’s mail receptacle had been deposited in an account in his name on August 9, 2021. The investigation revealed a pattern of mail theft and subsequent use of the stolen mail for personal gain.

This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Allen County Sheriff’s Office, and the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Justin C. Sheridan.

Stevens, who had been in federal custody since November 2023, was sentenced to time served followed by 30 months of supervised release. Following his release from incarceration, Stevens is required to report to a halfway house, residential treatment facility, or transitional living facility.

The sentencing of Justin M. Stevens serves as a reminder of the importance of protecting our mail and personal property. The United States Postal Inspection Service and local law enforcement agencies are working tirelessly to prevent mail theft and bring those responsible to justice.

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