NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — Four people involved in what prosecutors describe as a "mail theft and bank fraud ring" were all sentenced to prison.
Last year, all four entered a guilty plea for their charges.
The people sentenced and the crimes they're convicted of are as follows:
- Karon-Omar Gary, 21, attempted theft of U.S. Mail, he was sentenced to time served.
- Alexis West, 24, unlawful possession of postal keys and accessory after the fact, she was sentenced to six months in prison.
- Johnny "Glo" Riddick, 24, interference with commerce by robbery and conspiracy to commit bank fraud, he was sentenced to six years and six months in prison.
- Andre Billups Jr., 22, interference with commerce by robbery and using a firearm in a crime of violence, he was sentenced to seven years and six months in prison.
Billups, who appeared in court last Thursday, was the fourth and final person in the ring sentenced.
Watch related coverage: Man allegedly threatened mailman in Virginia Beach with gun to steal USPS arrow key
This final round of sentencing stems from the robbery of a letter carrier, which led to numerous instances of mail theft and bank fraud, prosecutors say.
Prosecutors shared how on July 6, 2023, Billups and Riddick took part in the robbery of a U.S. Postal Service letter carrier near Jefferson Point in Newport News. Billups approached the letter carrier and attempted to grab an arrow key from her — she handed it over after he said he was armed. Billups then fled towards Riddick, who was the getaway driver for this robbery.
Arrow keys can access blue collection boxes and panel mailboxes in specific areas. Prosecutors say Billups and Riddick used the arrow key to steal mail from USPS collection boxes in the area. Gary was recruited as a getaway driver in connection with the collection box break-ins.
Watch related coverage: Chesapeake man admits hunting down and robbing 2 postal carriers
Prosecutors also outlined how Riddick, Billups and West started a bank fraud scheme: "They would deposit a counterfeit check that had been altered or fabricated into a third-party account, then withdraw or spend as much of that money as possible before the fraud was detected," prosecutors explained in a release.
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Law enforcement recovered evidence, including the stolen arrow key, after a confrontation with Billups and Gary, prosecutors say. While Billups was using the arrow key to open a collection box, a postal inspector and a police officer interrupted him. When the inspector told Billups to stop, Gary drove in the direction of the inspector. The inspector then shot Billups.
After a police chase, law enforcement used "stop sticks" to bring the car to a stop.
Watch related coverage: Chesapeake men gets 7 years for robbing postal carrier, bank fraud
WTKR News 3 has extensively covered the growing issue of stolen arrow keys, both nationally and locally. According to a Scripps News report, data from the Postal Inspection Service revealed that in 2021, 132 arrow keys were taken away from mail carriers. By 2023, that number had more than tripled to 418.
For our latest report on arrow keys, click here.
