Washington, DC Man Convicted by Jury for String of Armed Postal-Carrier Robberies

Greenbelt, Maryland - A Washington, DC, man is headed to prison for robbing several United States Postal Service (USPS) mail carriers at gunpoint.

After an eight-day trial, a federal jury convicted DeAngelo Lewis, 30, on numerous federal charges in connection with the 2022-armed robbery of seven mail carriers. Charges include armed robbery of postal carriers; bank fraud; theft of mail; and using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty verdict with Postal Inspector in Charge Damon E. Wood, U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) - Washington Division; Chief George Nader, Prince George's County Police Department (PGPD); and Chief Marc R. Yamada, Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD).

Evidence presented at trial established that beginning in January 2022, and continuing through at least October 2022, Lewis and his co-conspirators committed numerous armed robberies. Lewis and his co-conspirators robbed seven mail carriers at gunpoint as they delivered mail in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington D.C. The co-conspirators took the mail carriers' postal-service keys, which open public mail collection boxes and neighborhood cluster boxes. With access to these boxes, Lewis and his co-conspirators stole personal and business checks that people placed in the mail. They then altered the checks and negotiated them at various banks, stealing almost $1 million of victims' money in the process.

According to trial testimony, as USPS carriers walked their routes, sorted mail in their trucks, or filled neighborhood cluster boxes, one or more masked individuals approached them. The individual(s) then pointed or flashed firearms and demanded the carrier's mailbox key. During one encounter, a masked individual struck one carrier in the face even though the carrier already handed over his key. Doorbell cameras or business CCTV systems captured at least two of the robberies.

Additionally, a black Mercedes sedan and a blue Dodge Challenger - which are cars Lewis was known to drive - were frequently seen leaving the scenes of the robberies. Navigation data seized from Lewis' phone also revealed that he searched for post offices near each of the robberies shortly before they occurred. Lewis would use this information to begin searching for a mail carrier to target in that area.

Law enforcement identified Lewis and his co-conspirators after seeing them on bank surveillance cameras depositing stolen and altered checks at various bank branch locations. Then, when law enforcement searched Lewis's Marlow Heights, Maryland, apartment, officers found approximately 1,500 checks, with a face-value of nearly $3 million, that had not yet been deposited at banks. The checks were sorted in envelopes based on where they were stolen from. Postal inspectors found at least 60 instances where Lewis already deposited checks worth nearly $1 million. Law enforcement also found check-altering materials and five of the seven stolen postal-service keys in Lewis' nightstand and on the floor in the apartment.

Social media, along with a search of Lewis' phone, revealed that he recruited others to allow him to use their accounts to deposit stolen and altered checks in exchange for a percentage of the proceeds. Postal inspectors testified that recruiting others via Instagram, Telegram, and other platforms enables fraudsters like Lewis to deposit far more checks than they could get away with if they attempted to use their accounts.

On October 27, law enforcement arrested Lewis after officers observed him exiting a white Dodge Challenger. Lewis and two co-conspirators just finished stealing mail from three blue public-collection boxes in Potomac, Maryland. One of the co-conspirators was wearing a USPS shirt. Law enforcement found a sixth key - which was robbed from a mail carrier only a week before in the same area - in the vehicle.

Lewis faces a minimum of seven years and a maximum of life in federal prison for using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, namely a robbery on January 31, 2022, and a minimum of five years and a maximum of life for carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, namely a robbery on October 20, 2022. Those minimum sentences must be served consecutive to each other and any other sentence imposed, for a total of at least 12 years. Additionally, Lewis faces a maximum of 30 years in prison for armed robbery, and a maximum of 30 years in prison for conspiracy to commit mail fraud and bank fraud. He is also facing additional time for charges related to bank fraud, mail theft, and unlawful possession of postal keys. A sentencing date is pending.

Co-conspirators Marking Long, 24 of Washington, D.C., and Enrico Hood-Jackson, 32, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, previously pled guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud and bank fraud in connection with the scheme. Hood-Jackson also pled guilty to armed robbery and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the USPIS, PGPD, and MCPD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Darren S. Gardner and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Jaskiw who are prosecuting the federal case.

For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney's Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit justice.gov/usao-md.

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