U.S. District Judge Matthew T. Schelp has sentenced Xavier Sean Boyd, 20, from Jennings, to 21 years and three months in prison for his involvement in a conspiracy to rob postal workers and steal checks in St. Louis County during the summer of 2022.
Boyd was part of a group of five individuals who targeted U.S. Postal Service letter carriers to obtain arrow keys that unlock mail collection boxes. These keys were then used to access mail and commit fraud with stolen checks.
On June 1, 2022, Boyd robbed a postal carrier at gunpoint on Chambers Road. The key obtained was used four days later to pilfer mail from various locations including Berkeley, West Florissant, Normandy, Overland, and Ferguson.
Boyd and accomplice Roy Lee Jones deposited $19,199.60 worth of stolen checks into Jones' credit union account on June 7, 2022. They attempted to withdraw the entire amount the following day but succeeded only in obtaining $8,500. Additional checks were deposited into Boyd's bank account without success in withdrawing funds.
On June 9, 2022, Jones committed another robbery of a postal worker’s arrow key while Boyd robbed a third carrier shortly after. Both incidents involved Boyd’s mother’s SUV which was noted by the third victim leading police to spot it soon after. A high-speed chase ensued ending with Boyd crashing the vehicle before both suspects fled carrying pistols; police apprehended them shortly thereafter.
Court documents reveal that Boyd attempted to interfere with the investigation while in custody through communication with co-conspirators via video call.
“Postal Service employees play an integral role in our communities delivering mail to the American people," stated Ruth Mendonça from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service's Chicago Division overseeing this case alongside the St. Louis Field Office.
Boyd pleaded guilty in September to multiple charges including three counts of robbery and two counts related to firearm possession during these crimes.
Jones received an earlier sentence last month from Judge Schelp amounting to 84 months following his guilty plea for similar offenses committed during this crime spree.
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service along with St. Louis County Police Department under prosecution led by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Dunkel.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), aiming at reducing violent crime through collaborative efforts between law enforcement agencies and community partners as reinforced by strategies introduced on May 26, 2021.