Fort Worth mail thieves who robbed mailman at gunpoint sentenced to 5-6 years in federal prison
FORT WORTH, Texas - Three men who robbed a USPS mailman at gunpoint and stole his master key will spend several years in prison.
Fort Worth natives Cedrick Mims, Danny Powell and Cameron Gist pleaded guilty in April to the October letter carrier robbery.
Gist and Powell were each sentenced to 70 months in federal prison while Mims received a 75-month sentence.
Mims admitted to pointing a 39-mm pistol at a Fort Worth letter carrier on October 24. He demanded the mailman’s master key that opens the USPS blue collection boxes, which are highly sought after by mail thieves.
The three men also stole his postal scanner and the keys to his mail truck.
Powell was the getaway driver while Gist provided the gun, according to plea records.
Featured
Fort Worth mail carrier robbed, $150K reward offered for information
The U.S. Postal Service is installing electronic locks at mailboxes across the country as a rising number of mail carriers are becoming targets for robbers.
"We will not stop pursuing those who seek to harm our employees and will bring them to justice to account for their violent crimes," said Kai Pickens with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service – Fort Worth division. "Let this serve as a reminder to those who harm and traumatize our employees: we will find you and bring you to justice."
USPS launched Project Safe Delivery in May 2023 in response to a string of violent attacks on letter carriers.
Since then, USPIS says mail-related arrests are up by 72% while robberies have gone down by 35%.
Featured
Where are mail carriers bit the most by dogs? USPS shares top cities, states
When it comes to dog bites on postal workers, some U.S. cities and states rank higher than others. Here’s what the USPS wants dog owners to know.