PHILADELPHIA, PA — Zachkey James, a 29-year-old Philadelphia resident, has been sentenced to four years in prison for impersonating a United States Postal Service (USPS) mail carrier and perpetrating a fraudulent scheme that impacted hundreds of victims. U.S. District Court Judge R. Barclay Surrick also imposed three years of supervised release and ordered the forfeiture of $345,681.68, reflecting the financial damage caused by James’s actions.
The sentence follows James’s guilty plea in April to 12 counts, including impersonation, possession of stolen USPS Arrow Keys, mail theft, and possession of stolen mail. His criminal activity, which spanned from 2020 to 2022, involved the theft of over $300,000 through the alteration and fraudulent cashing of stolen checks and money orders.
According to U.S. Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero, James posed as a USPS letter carrier to access blue collection boxes using stolen USPS Arrow Keys. He carried out his crimes in public and during daylight hours, stealing mail from across Philadelphia. The stolen correspondence often included checks and money orders, which James altered, making the payments payable to himself or accomplices. The forged instruments were then cashed or deposited into accounts under his control.
“These weren’t just pieces of paper that Zachkey James stole,” remarked Romero. “These were people’s mortgage and utility payments, their loan payoffs, their child support checks — and for numerous victims, the repercussions of his thefts were devastating.”
When federal authorities executed a search warrant on James’s apartment and vehicle, they uncovered evidence detailing the scope of his operations. Piles of stolen mail, numerous unwashed checks and money orders, and stolen USPS Arrow Keys were found, along with solvent and toothbrushes used to alter financial documents. Additionally, authorities recovered a full USPS letter carrier uniform, underscoring the lengths to which James went to execute his scheme. Among the stolen items were 15 mail-in ballots for an election, all of which were delivered to the appropriate county boards in time to be counted.
Christopher Nielsen, Inspector in Charge of the Philadelphia Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, emphasized the importance of securing public trust in the mail system. “Protecting the mail from theft is a core mission of the Postal Inspection Service. When someone steals mail, Postal Inspectors will work relentlessly to hold those individuals to account.”
The investigation was conducted by the United States Postal Inspection Service, with Assistant United States Attorney Patrick Brown leading the prosecution. Authorities stated that James’s actions caused significant financial and emotional hardship for his victims, underscoring the need to ensure accountability in cases of mail fraud and theft.
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