BOSTON – A Boston woman was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for the armed robberies of United States Postal Service (USPS) letter carriers on Nov. 29, 2022 in Mattapan, Mass. and Dec. 16, 2022 in Hyde Park, Mass.
Myesha Lewis, 22, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Dennis F. Saylor IV to three years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. In October 2024, Lewis pleaded guilty to two counts of robbery of any person having lawful charge, control, or custody of any mail matter or of any money or other property of the United States, aiding and abetting and two counts of assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers or employees, aiding and abetting. In May 2023, Lewis was indicted by a federal grand jury along with co-defendant Kenneth Demosthene.
USPS has seen a rise in the use of arrow keys to facilitate the theft of U.S. Mail. An arrow key is a specific key designed to open designated blue USPS collection boxes in a specific area. These arrow keys are the property of USPS and it is a federal offense for an unauthorized person to possess one. According to data from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service headquarters, from 2019 through 2022, there was a 512% increase year over year in arrow key robberies from letter carriers nationwide – rising from 64 robberies in 2019 to approximately 412 robberies in 2022. In 2023 the Postal Service reported 605 Arrow key robberies – a 49% increase in robberies over the previous year. In the last two years, 89 postal carriers were significantly injured during these robberies and at least one carrier was killed.
On Nov. 29, 2022, in Mattapan, Lewis and Demosthene forcibly robbed a USPS letter carrier of an arrow key. Demosthene approached the letter carrier and said, “I’m going to need your master key,” before reaching into the letter carrier’s mail satchel and grabbing the arrow key. The key was secured around the letter carrier’s belt with a brass chain. The force used to physically break the brass chain caused the letter carrier to be pulled off the front steps. Lewis and Demosthene then fled the scene in a rental vehicle.
On Dec. 16, 2022 in Hyde Park, Lewis and Demosthene robbed another USPS letter carrier of an arrow key at knife point. Demosthene approached the USPS letter carrier and said, “Give me your f****** arrow key.” The letter carrier put their hands in the air as the defendants attempted to remove the arrow key, at first by force pulling at the chain. Lewis and Demosthene then attempted to cut it with the knife, eventually breaking it loose and fleeing the scene on foot.
In October 2024, Demosthene was sentenced to three years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the United States Postal Inspection Service’s Boston Field Office made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Postal Service, Office of the Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke A. Goldworm of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
