A New Orleans man has been sentenced after pleading guilty to charges associated with the theft of mail from local post offices. According to a statement from the office of U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans, Frederic Thompson, 24, was involved in a conspiracy to steal mail from the Lakeview Post Office in Orleans Parish and USPS mailboxes along Metairie Road in Jefferson Parish, as per the U.S. Attorney's Office.
The scheme, as outlined in the U.S. Attorney's Office announcement, occurred on January 30, 2022. It involved Thompson and his accomplices using a stolen USPS key to access mail receptacles, while Thompson remained seated in the vehicle. The incident was part of a police chase, which culminated in the discovery of approximately 30 pieces of stolen mail.
In a recent hearing, U.S. District Court Judge Jay C. Zainey handed Thompson a sentence of three years probation, and imposed a $200 mandatory special assessment fee. The U.S. Attorney's office noted the collaborative effort among the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the New Orleans Police Department in bringing the case to a close.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jon Maestri, who is part of the General Crimes Unit, was mentioned as the prosecution's lead, U.S. Attorney Evans lauded the cross-jurisdictional investigation which exemplified interagency cooperation resulting in Thompon's sentencing, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office website, authority praises rarely seen in straightforward mail theft cases.
