Undocumented Mexican Carjacker Sentenced: 30 Months Behind Bars

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – In a stunning turn of events, Wilber Castellanos Hernandez, 33, an undocumented Mexican citizen, has been handed a 30-month prison sentence after being caught red-handed in the daring carjacking of a U.S. Postal Service truck.

Hernandez, who pleaded guilty to the crime, was also sentenced to a grueling 36 months’ supervised release by U.S. District Court Judge David Barlow. He must cough up $2,828.89 in restitution for the damage caused to the postal vehicle and the loss of valuable postal equipment.

Court documents revealed that on February 5, 2024, Hernandez stole a USPS truck in Salt Lake City. His brazen act involved checking the door handle of the truck and gaining entry before pointing a knife at a U.S. Postal Service employee and fleeing the scene with the vehicle. Thanks to GPS technology, law enforcement tracked him down and apprehended him.

The investigation was a joint effort by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and an FBI Task Force Officer from the Salt Lake City Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Carlos A. Esqueda of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case with vigor.

This sentence comes as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a comprehensive initiative aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence in neighborhoods across the country. Launched on May 26, 2021, PSN focuses on fostering trust in communities, supporting prevention efforts, setting enforcement priorities, and measuring results.

For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, visit Justice.gov/PSN.