Chad Woods, a 29-year-old New Orleans resident, entered a guilty plea for crimes related to United States Mail theft, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. Last Thursday, Woods admitted to conspiring to steal mail, illegal possession of a Postal Service mail key, and having stolen mail. U.S. District Court Judge Eldon E. Fallon has scheduled the sentencing for March 27, 2025, as Woods now faces the prospect of significant prison time and hefty fines.
An indictment detailed how Woods, together with an accomplice, executed a theft operation involving United States Mail on June 23, 2022, in Kenner, Louisiana. The duo managed to successfully steal mail from one location using a USPS "arrow key" and attempted to do the same at another location. Their plan, however, came to an abrupt end following a police pursuit. In their possession were 36 stolen checks—one forged counterfeit check, six opened pieces of mail, and critically, the USPS key used to unlawfully access USPS mailboxes.
Woods is looking at a maximum penalty that could amount to five years of imprisonment for the mail theft conspiracy and possession of stolen mail. The count for possession of the USPS mail key can carry a sentence up to ten years. Each of these counts also come with the possibility of up to three years of supervised release, a fine that could soar as high as $250,000, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.
The collaborative effort of the United States Postal Inspection Service, along with the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office and the Kenner Police Department, was lauded by U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans for their role in bringing the case to a closure. "Assistant U.S. Attorney Jon Maestri of the General Crimes Unit is charge of the prosecution," as confirmed by an official statement. The consequences to Woods serve as a somber reminder of the harsh penalties that come with interfering in the nationwide mail system, especially as the holiday season sees mail traffic at its peak.
