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Austin man guilty of mail theft.
Cody Smith, 19, has pleaded guilty for his part in a conspiracy involving five others, with a sixth arrest made this week, according to officials.
Published August 1, 2024 at 6:34pm by Skye Seipp
Austin Man Pleads Guilty to Robbing Postal Workers for Master Keys
A 19-year-old Austin man, Cody Smith, pleaded guilty in federal court to robbing postal workers for their master keys, including a December 2020 incident in Leander, Texas. Smith was one of six people involved, including 19-year-old Samuel Williams, who was arrested on July 30 in St. Louis.
They then demanded the postal worker give them the carrier's United States Postal Service "arrow key," before ripping it from the carrier's belt and running to a getaway vehicle.
The Robbery and Investigation
On December 4, Smith and Williams approached a mail carrier in the 2000 block of Lucky Lane, wearing hooded sweatshirts and masks. They demanded and forcefully took the carrier's "arrow key," a master key used by postal workers. During a raid on Smith's apartment, postal inspectors found mail from Leander, including checks made out to others, and an array of firearms: 11 semi-automatic rifles and 2 handguns.
The Co-Conspirators
Christian Mosquera, 21, acted as the driver, and Nicholas Williams, 21, was the lookout. Camren Hamilton, 22, and Jonathan Rangel, 27, were also implicated in the conspiracy.
The Legal Consequences
Cody Smith pleaded guilty to robbery and conspiracy charges, carrying a potential sentence of up to 15 years in prison. Federal Judge David Ezra, serving since 1988, will sentence Smith at a later date.
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Read more: Austin man pleads guilty to robbing mail carrier for master key in Leander last year