CHESAPEAKE, Va. — A Chesapeake man was sentenced to 12 years in prison for conspiring to rob USPS mail carriers at gunpoint for their "arrow keys."
O’Sirus Charles Landres Ford, 22, was a member of the social media group "Three Keys," which was identified by three key emojis, according to court documents.
Arrow keys are used by mail carriers to access blue collection boxes, outdoor parcel lockers and apartment mailbox panels. The mail located in these boxes is very valuable to criminals, as they can be used in schemes such as bank and check fraud, according to the US Attorney's Office.
Watch: Chesapeake man admits hunting down and robbing 2 postal carriers over 2 days
On May 8, 2023, Ford recruited two people—one of whom was a minor—to commit a robbery and do reconnaissance in Hampton. Ford then shifted his focus to Newport News and recruited two other men, Jayden Stukes, 21, of Suffolk, and Da'Twan Watson, 24, of Chesapeake, attorneys said.
Ford then diverted his attention from Newport News back to Hampton and encountered a carrier on Galax Street. Ford then brandished his firearm and said “give me your keys or I’m gonna shoot you,” the US Attorney's Office said.
Watson and Stukes also received four years for their involvement.
