Chicago Man Charged With Armed Robbery, Identity Theft in USPS Incident in Hinsdale

In a case that underscores the persistent threat of financial crimes via the United States Postal Service, Antwan Kelsor, a 22-year-old Chicago man, stands accused of a string of felonies, including armed robbery and identity theft. Kelsor, along with co-defendant Maurice Deloach, who is 23, have been charged with numerous offences, spiraling from an armed robbery in May 2022. As reported by the DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office, the charges include two counts of Armed Robbery, a Class X Felony, among other allegations linked to check theft and financial institution fraud around Chicago's suburbs. Despite the gravity of these charges, Kelsor was not detained pre-trial, a decision influenced by the amount of time that had lapsed since the alleged incident and Kelsor's clean criminal record.

The incident at the center of these allegations took place when a postal carrier was robbed at gunpoint while collecting mail from a USPS box in Hinsdale. The assailant, reportedly armed with a handgun, demanded the carrier's key - a master key capable of unlocking multiple collection boxes in the area. In the weeks following the theft, multiple mail thefts were reported, using the key illicitly obtained during the robbery. An intensive investigation ensnared Kelsor and Deloach, who are suspected of having stolen mail containing checks totaling more than half a million dollars. According to the DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office, these stolen checks were deposited and then funds were attempted to be quickly withdrawn, or the checks were tried to be sold to others.

State’s Attorney Robert Berlin hailed the arrest as a "testament to the cooperation exhibited by both federal and local agencies." He further said, "The arrest and charging of the defendants in this case is vital to maintaining the public’s trust that when you send a letter or pay a bill through the USPS, it will safely arrive at its intended destination," as stated by the DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office. Both defendants are presumed innocent and are entitled to a fair trial, where the burden lies on the government to prove their guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Kelsor is scheduled to appear in court again on June 5, while Deloach is set to have his day in court slightly earlier, on June 9.