Missouri Mail Carrier Pleads Not Guilty to Stealing Checks and Selling USPS Key, While Accomplice Is Convicted of Bank Fraud

A mail carrier in Missouri found herself in legal trouble after allegations surfaced that she sold a key providing access to U.S. Postal Service collection boxes and was involved in stealing checks from mail. Cambria Hopkins, from Florissant, pled not guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to charges including conspiracy, unlawful use of a mail key, and bribery following her indictment on October 30, according to a report by the

U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Missouri

.

The indictment details the alleged deal between Hopkins and Malik A. Jones on March 20, 2022, when the mail carrier sold her “arrow key,” facilitating the theft of mail by Jones. Accused of bribery, just after her arrest at the U.S. Post Office in Clayton, Hopkins also reportedly took checks from mail placed under her care and gave them to Jones. Payments to Hopkins from Jones were made by cash, via CashApp, and, interestingly, by buying her groceries.

Convicted on charges of bank fraud and aggravated identity theft, Malik A. Jones is expecting his sentence on January 30, 2025, after he pled guilty on October 25. It’s important to note that the charges in the indictment are simply accusations and do not equate to guilt; all defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty by the court of law.

“The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is the federal law enforcement branch of the U.S. Postal Service charged with protecting the nation’s mail system from illegal use.  With the collaborative investigative efforts of our law enforcement partners, the Postal Inspection Service investigates and pursues those responsible for committing financial fraud stemming from the theft of mail,” stated in the

U.S. Attorney’s Office

website by Inspector in Charge Ruth Mendonça from the Chicago Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, which also oversees St. Louis operations.

The potential penalties for these charges are steep: the conspiracy charge carries a potential penalty of up to 5 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both, while the unlawful use of a mail key is punishable by up to 10 years. Moreover, the bribery charge could lead to a maximum prison term of 15 years if Hopkins is convicted. The ongoing investigation into the case is being conducted by the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Clow is prosecuting.

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