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Austin man robs mail carrier in Leander.
Cody Smith, 19, pleaded guilty with five others to conspiracy charges, according to officials. A sixth person was also arrested this week.
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 this week to a string of robberies targeting postal workers' master keys. Smith, along with five others, including 19-year-old Samuel Williams, who was arrested on July 30 in St. Louis, conspired to steal USPS "arrow keys" from mail carriers.
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.
On December 4, Smith and Williams approached a mail carrier in Leander, wearing dark hoodies and masks. They demanded and forcibly took the carrier's key before fleeing. Postal inspectors found checks from Leander and 11 semi-automatic rifles, and two handguns in Smith's apartment.
Christian Mosquera, 21, Nicholas Williams, 21, Camren Hamilton, 22, and Jonathan Rangel, 27, played various roles in the robberies, including driver and lookout.
Smith pleaded guilty to robbery and conspiracy, facing up to 10 and 5 years in prison, respectively.
Judge David Ezra 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