Lawrence Sherman, Mail Theft, Ohio 2023

Cincinnati Men Sentenced for Mail Theft Scheme

CINCINNATI – Three Cincinnati men, Lawrence Sherman, 23, Brandon McCollum, 21, and Jeffrey Wiley, 23, were sentenced in federal court today for conspiring to commit mail theft.

According to court documents, between July 2022 and June 2023, the defendants conspired to steal postal arrow keys to then steal mail from blue collection boxes. The conspiracy caused a loss amount of between $250,000 and $550,000 and involved 10 or more victims.

Conspirators would steal any cash contained in the mail from the receptacles. They would also steal checks and ‘wash’ or erase the original information in an attempt to fraudulently convert the checks. The defendants would then deposit the altered checks in borrowed accounts and withdraw cash from ATMs.

There were multiple police chases connected to this particular scheme and at least one stolen vehicle driven by Sherman. During one such traffic stop in Springfield Township in January 2023, McCollum was in possession of a stolen postal arrow key.

Sherman was sentenced to 40 months in prison, McCollum to 24 months in prison, and Wiley to 27 months in prison. These sentences are a result of the defendants’ involvement in a conspiracy to commit mail theft, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371.

The investigation was led by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), with assistance from the Wyoming, Springdale, and Green Hills police departments. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy S. Mangan represented the United States in this case.

The case is a reminder of the importance of protecting our nation’s mail system and the consequences of those who seek to exploit it. We will continue to work tirelessly to bring those responsible for these crimes to justice.

Mandatory Facts: Lawrence Sherman, 23, was sentenced to 40 months in prison for conspiring to commit mail theft. Brandon McCollum, 21, was sentenced to 24 months in prison for the same offense. Jeffrey Wiley, 23, was sentenced to 27 months in prison. The conspiracy caused a loss amount of between $250,000 and $550,000 and involved 10 or more victims.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdoh/pr/3-cincinnati-men-sentenced-prison-stealing-usps-keys