Two young men responsible for a string of violent mail carrier robberies in Texas have been handed down lengthy prison sentences. Jerrad Coleman and Louis Dixon, both 18, were sentenced to a combined 21 years in federal prison, as revealed in a press release by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Texas.
Following their guilty pleas, U.S. District Judge Mark Pittman addressed the gravity of the crimes, asserting the postal service's critical role and deeming the offenses "heinous." "Violence against letter carriers not only puts federal workers in fear for their lives, but also undermines the functioning of the U.S. postal system,” U.S. Attorney Leigha Simonton stated. Mr, as per the U.S. Attorney's Office. Coleman is to serve 108 months, while Mr. Dixon was sentenced to 151 months, the terms meted out varying slightly in concurrent and consecutive applications.
The pair's criminal escapades involved targeting postal workers to obtain an Arrow Key—a master key that opens blue collection boxes. This tool allowed them to illicitly access sensitive items such as checks and credit cards. The crime spree included eight separate incidents, with mail carriers being robbed, often at gunpoint, between January and April of this year.
The investigation, led by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, along with coordination from local police departments, resulted in the capture and subsequent prosecution of Coleman and Dixon. Kai Pickens, Inspector in Charge, made it clear that aggressive efforts are in place to ensure that "U.S. Postal Service employees are delivering across America and deserve to work in their communities free from danger,” as cited by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
