Boston woman pleads guilty to armed robbery of letter carriers in Mattapan and Hyde Park

A Boston woman pleaded guilty in federal court to 2022 armed robberies of U.S. Postal Service letter carriers, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.

Myesha Lewis, 22, two counts of robbery, aiding and abetting, and two counts of assault, resisting, or assaulting any person having lawful authority to charge, control, or retain possession of any U.S. mail or any money or other property. He admitted his guilt. Obstructing, aiding and abetting certain officers or employees.

The armed robberies took place on November 29, 2022 in Mattapan and on December 16, 2022 in Hyde Park. U.S. District Court Chief Judge Dennis F. Saylor IV scheduled sentencing for Feb. 10.

Lewis was indicted by a federal grand jury in May 2023, along with Kenneth Demosthene of Stoughton.

Last month, Demosthene was sentenced to three years in prison and then released on three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to the charges in July.

According to the US Attorney’s Office, the US Postal Service has seen an increase in the use of arrow keys to facilitate the theft of US Mail.

The arrow key is a special key designed to open designated blue USPS collection boxes in a specific area. These arrow keys are the property of the USPS and it is a federal crime for an unauthorized person to possess them.

There have been at least 23 attacks on USPS mail carriers in Boston and surrounding cities and towns since July 2022, and 15 of those attacks involved attackers armed with knives, firearms or both, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.

These incidents included the theft or successful theft of USPS arrow keys from letter carriers.

Prosecutors said that on Nov. 29, 2022, in Mattapan, Lewis and Demosthene extorted an arrow key from a USPS letter carrier.

Prosecutors said Demosthene approached the mailman and said, “I’m going to need your master key,” before reaching into the mailman’s mailbag and grabbing the arrow key. The key was fastened to the letter carrier’s belt by a brass chain.

“The force used to physically break the brass chain caused the letter carrier to retreat from the front steps,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office said in a statement this week. Lewis and Demosthene then fled the scene in a rented vehicle.

On Dec. 16, 2022, in Hyde Park, Lewis and Demosthene stole an arrow key from another USPS letter carrier at knifepoint, prosecutors said.

Demosthene approached the USPS mail carrier and said, “Give me the profane arrow key,” prosecutors said.

Prosecutors said the letter carrier raised his hands in the air and the pair first tried to remove the arrow key by forcibly pulling on the chain. Lewis and Demosthene then tried to cut him with a knife, before eventually releasing him and fleeing on foot.

Each charge of robbery of any postal material, or any money or other property of the United States, by any person having lawful charge, control, or custody, is punishable by imprisonment for not less than 25 years and not less than three years of probation. and a fine of up to $250,000.

The charges of assaulting, resisting or obstructing certain officers or employees each carry a penalty of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000.

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