Ryan James Taylor, Post Office Burglary, California 2018

A brazen burglary at the Mojave Post Office in Kern County has ended with a guilty plea from the perpetrator. Ryan James Taylor, 34, of Oxnard, pleaded guilty to burglary of a post office, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.

According to court documents, on Aug. 26, 2018, Taylor forcibly broke into the Mojave Post Office in Kern County and stole United States Mail from the outgoing mail drop bin. After breaking into the post office, Taylor also stole a United States mail truck.

The stolen mail included a Starbucks gift card that Taylor later used to purchase a coffee drink and a check that he endorsed over to himself, all without authorization.

This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Vincente Tennerelli and Joseph Barton are prosecuting the case.

Taylor is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd on Dec. 14. Taylor faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

Taylor's crimes were committed in Kern County, California, a region known for its rich agricultural land and diverse economy. The post office burglary was just the latest in a string of brazen crimes in the area.

Ryan James Taylor's guilty plea marks a significant victory for law enforcement in Kern County. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service worked tirelessly to investigate the crime and bring Taylor to justice.

The case serves as a reminder of the importance of protecting our nation's mail system. The U.S. Postal Service is a vital part of our country's infrastructure, and it is crucial that we take steps to prevent crimes like this from happening in the future.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-edca/pr/southern-california-man-pleads-guilty-burglarizing-kern-county-post-office