Sonny Vang Xiong, Mail Theft, Minnesota 2020

ST. PAUL, Minn. – In a brazen crime spree that spanned months, two Ramsey County men have been sentenced to prison for their roles in a Twin Cities-based mail theft scheme.

Sonny Vang Xiong, 32, of Maplewood, and Davis Her, 36, of St. Paul, were each convicted of one count of conspiracy to commit theft of mail. Her also pleaded guilty to one count of felon in possession of a firearm. The defendants were sentenced to 36 and 78 months in prison, respectively.

According to court documents, from at least August 2020 through November 2020, Xiong and Her conspired with others to steal mail and packages from post offices, apartment complexes, and mailboxes. The defendants broke into apartment buildings and other locations where many mailboxes could be accessed at once to steal personal mail, business mail, packages, and other items.

The defendants would look for checks, money orders, identification documents, credit and debit cards, and other items of value. Xiong and Her used the stolen checks and money orders to create fraudulent checks and falsified money orders that they gave to others to cash. Xiong and Her also used stolen account numbers, IDs, and personal identifying information to create fake checks and fake identification documents.

Acting U.S. Attorney W. Anders Folk for the District of Minnesota made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Eric C. Tostrud sentenced the defendants. “The defendants’ actions caused significant harm to individuals and businesses in the Twin Cities area,” Folk said.

The case was the result of an investigation conducted by the United States Postal Inspection Service, with assistance from the St. Paul Police Department, the Roseville Police Department, the Coon Rapids Police Department, the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office, and the St. Croix County (Wisconsin) Sheriff’s Office. United States Secret Service, and the United States Department of State, Diplomatic Security Service.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah E. Hudleston prosecuted the case. Her efforts to bring the defendants to justice are a testament to her dedication to protecting the public from those who would seek to harm them.

This case serves as a reminder of the importance of being vigilant and protecting our mail and personal information.

The convictions of Xiong and Her are a significant blow to those who would seek to profit from the theft of mail and personal information. The public can rest assured that law enforcement will continue to work tirelessly to protect them from such crimes.

We will continue to work together to ensure that those who commit these crimes are held accountable.

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