A former postal carrier from Florissant, Missouri, has pled guilty to involvement in a scheme to steal checks from the mail. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, 30-year-old Cambria M. Hopkins admitted to selling a key used to unlock U.S. Postal Service collection boxes and conspiring to steal mail, including personal and business checks.
On March 20, 2022, Hopkins sold an “arrow key” to Malik A. Jones and informed him of the boxes it would open. Jones then paid others to steal mail using the key. Hopkins also sold stolen checks to Jones multiple times, receiving payment in cash, through CashApp, and with groceries, as per the U.S. Department of Justice.
Hopkins faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the conspiracy charge, and up to 10 years for unlawful use of a mail key. Sentencing is scheduled for December 1. Jones pled guilty on October 25 to bank fraud and aggravated identity theft and is awaiting sentencing.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Clow.
