An Austin man has entered a guilty plea to federal court charges that stem from a series of robberies targeting U.S. Postal Service carriers and precious postal property. According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Cody Smith, 19, has admitted to conspiracy and mail robbery charges connected to a 2023 scheme along with five co-defendants who aimed to steal USPS Arrow Keys to illicitly access mailboxes.
The court documents reveal a calculated plot where Smith and another 19-year-old, Samuel Williams, donned masks and hoodies, boldly approached a mail carrier, and forcibly took the USPS Arrow Key on December 4, 2023. The pair then escaped to a waiting vehicle, part of a coordinated robbery. To fully execute these robberies, Christian Mosquera, and Nicholas Williams both aged 21, took on the roles of driver and lookout, respectively. At the same time, Camren Hamilton, 22, and Jonathan Rangel, 27, were implicated in the conspiracy as well.
Smith now faces the possibility of up to a decade in prison for the mail robbery count, and another five years for the conspiracy charge. The judge will weigh both the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors before setting his punishment. While Smith's sentencing date is not scheduled yet, Samuel Williams was recently arrested on July 30 in St. Louis, with co-defendants Mosquera, Nicholas Williams, Hamilton, and Rangel all pleading guilty.
U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza announced the guilty pleas, with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and several Texas police departments conducting ongoing investigations. In charge of the case's prosecution is Assistant U.S. Attorney Dan Guess.
