A Philadelphia man was dealt a firm hand of justice after an extensive mail theft operation that spanned over two years. Zachkey James, 29, faced Judge R. Barclay Surrick in a United States District Court and received a sentence of 48 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release, as reported by the U.S. Attorney’s Office. In addition to his prison term, James is mandated to forfeit a substantial sum of $345,681.68.
Dressing in U.S. Postal Service letter carrier uniform and armed with three stolen USPS Arrow Keys, James engaged in a brazen spree of thefts, targeting blue USPS collection boxes across Philadelphia. Arrested in November 2022 and having pleaded guilty in April this year, the man admitted to all charges presented in a 12-count superseding information, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. His criminal activities resulted in the theft of over $300,000 from hundreds of unsuspecting victims.
Utilizing the stolen Arrow Keys gave him unfettered access to mailboxes where he systematically pilfered mail, focusing on extracting checks and money orders. These stolen goods were later altered to list himself or his co-conspirators as the payees before being fraudulently cashed or deposited into their accounts. A search warrant executed on his apartment and vehicle brought to light piles of undelivered mail, hundreds of checks, money orders, and about 15 undelivered mail-in ballots, which were fortunately all delivered to the appropriate county board of elections in time to be counted. Equipment used to wash checks, multiple stolen Arrow Keys, and other USPS paraphernalia were also uncovered among his possessions.
"These weren’t just pieces of paper that Zachkey James stole," U.S. Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero emphasized the gravity of the thefts. "These were people’s mortgage and utility payments, their loan payoffs, their child support checks — and for numerous victims, the repercussions of his thefts were devastating," Romero stated, as noted by the U.S. Attorney's Office. Through the veil of James's masquerade as a public servant, he enacted a betrayal of trust that had far-reaching consequences for those in the Philadelphia community.
response to the sentencing, Christopher Nielsen, Inspector in Charge of the Philadelphia Division for the Postal Inspection Service, affirmed his agency's commitment to protecting the public from such violations. "Protecting the mail from theft is a core mission of the Postal Inspection Service," Nielsen said, pledging their resolve to pursue individuals like James, as per the U.S. Attorney's Office.
The Postal Inspection Service led the investigation that ultimately concluded with James's conviction. Assistant United States Attorney Patrick Brown was the lead prosecutor for the case.
