CLEVELAND — Three Northeast Ohio men have been indicted on accusations of working together to steal checks from a mailbox in South Euclid, U.S. Attorney Rebecca C. Lutzko announced Thursday.
Cleveland Heights 19-year-old Devin Sims, University Heights resident Michael WIlliams, 19, and Cleveland 20-year-old Teontaey Thomas were indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of aiding and abetting each other in robbery of mail or property of the United States and stealing keys adopted by the Post Office.
The Department of Justice alleges the three men collaborated on November 7, 2023, to steal a postal carrier's key in a robbery that the DOJ says "involved the use of a firearm." The stolen key was allegedly used on Nov. 11, 2023, to open a blue USPS mailbox in South Euclid and steal checks that had been put in the mail.
Sims and Williams were also charged with brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence and theft of mail. Sims was charged with possession of stolen mail.
Sims was arrested on Dec. 8 of last year, while Williams and Thomas were arrested on Wednesday.
The DOJ said the United States Postal Inspection Service "is aggressively investigating cases involving theft from postal carriers and the U.S. Mails."