AUSTIN, Texas – An Austin man pleaded guilty in federal court to charges related to conspiracy and mail robbery.
According to court documents, Cody Smith, 19, conspired with five codefendants in 2023 to target U.S. Postal Service letter carriers and steal their Arrow Keys in order to unlawfully open mail boxes in the local area. In one instance, on Dec. 4, 2023, Smith and codefendant Samuel Williams, 19, wearing dark hooded sweatshirts and masks, approached a letter carrier and demanded he give them his assigned USPS Arrow Key. Smith and Williams ripped the key from the letter carrier’s belt and ran to a getaway vehicle. Codefendants Christian Mosquera, 21, and Nicholas Williams, 21, assisted in the robbery as driver and look-out, respectively. Two other codefendants, Camren Hamilton, 22, and Jonathan Rangel, 27, also had roles in the conspiracy.
Smith pleaded guilty to one count of robbery of mail matter or other property and one count of conspiracy to commit robbery of mail matter or other property. He faces a up to ten years in prison for the robbery charge and up to five years in prison for the conspiracy. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Codefendant Samuel Williams was located and arrested in St. Louis July 30.
Mosquera, Nicholas Williams, Hamilton and Rangel have all pleaded guilty and are scheduled for sentence hearings in September. Smith does not yet have a sentencing date.
U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas made the announcement.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Austin Police Department, Round Rock Police Department, and Georgetown Police Department are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Dan Guess is prosecuting the case.