Syracuse mailman who helped former college basketball teammate steal mail sentenced

A 28-year-old Syracuse mailman who pleaded guilty to helping his friend and former college basketball teammate steal mail was sentenced Wednesday, federal prosecutors said.

Quayshaun Mitchell will serve six months of home detention and three years of supervised release. He will also have to perform 150 hours of community service.

He had previously pled guilty to one count of possession with intent to unlawfully use a USPS key and one count of aiding and abetting the theft of mail.

Mitchell admitted to giving a USPS key to Kevin Ronny Williams, who Mitchell played basketball with at SUNY Polytechnic Institute, on March 5, 2020 so Williams could steal mail, prosecutors said.

Williams eventually stole 49 pieces of mail while dressed in Mitchell’s USPS jacket and while he was carrying Mitchell’s mail satchel, according to prosecutors. The plan unraveled after a traffic stop and all the mail was later recovered.

Williams has also already pleaded guilty. He faces a similar sentence to Mitchell: six months of home detention followed by three years of supervised release and 120 hours of community service.

Checks in the mail were worth nearly $70,000.

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