Birmingham man sentenced to more than 5 years for unlawful possession of USPS keys, stolen mail

BIRMINGHAM, Ala.( WIAT ) — A Birmingham man was sentenced to more than five years in prison for unlawful possession of USPS keys and possession of stolen mail Monday.

According to United States Attorney Prim F. Escalona, Derrell Matthews, 27, to 63 months in prison. Matthews pleaded guilty to conspiracy, paying a bribe to a public official, possession of U.S. Postal Service keys, stolen or reproduced, bank fraud and possession of stolen mail in February.

Two other people were previously sentenced in the scheme. Keaundria Gresham, 30, of Pleasant Grove, was sentenced to 12 months in prison for conspiracy, public official accepting a bribe and possession of U.S. Postal Service keys, stolen or reproduced. Steven Hudson Jr., 34, of Bessemer, was sentenced to 36 months of probation for possession of stolen mail. According to Hudson’s plea agreement, Matthews paid him to drive him around.

Court documents state between Aug. 2022 and April 2023, Matthews used stolen USPS keys to steal mail from several blue collections boxes in Hoover. Matthews purchased the keys from Gresham who was employed by USPS as a letter carrier in Birmingham. Matthews was found in possession of USPS keys, stolen checks, counterfeit checks, blank checks, stock printers and more than 350 stolen, altered, or counterfeit checks totaling over $1 million.

Between Oct. 2021 and May 2023, Matthews deposited altered or counterfeit checks by ATM or mobile deposit into co-conspirator’s bank accounts. Matthews took a portion of the deposited amount from himself and left a portion in the account or paid the person by other means. In April 2023, Matthews was observed opening two blue collection boxes at Meadowbrook Post Office and removed mail from the boxes and put them in his vehicle. Deputies conducted a traffic stop and the driver, Hudson Jr., and Matthews were arrested.

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