Man buys USPS key from worker and is caught with $1 million in stolen checks, feds say

An Alabama man caught with hundreds of stolen and counterfeit checks worth more than $1 million will spend the next several years in federal prison, prosecutors have announced.

During the execution of a federal search warrant in October 2022, U.S. Postal Service inspectors found stolen mail, a USPS arrow key, blank check stock, printers and 47 debit cards belonging to different people inside Derrell Allen Matthews’ home and car, according to court documents.

Matthews had multiple counterfeit checks worth over $260,000 that were already deposited by the time inspectors arrived, court documents say.

The USPS key found at Matthews’ residence was one of many that he purchased from Keaundria Janae Gresham, a postal carrier at the Post Office in Birmingham, prosecutors said.

Matthews used the USPS keys to unlock blue mail collection boxes and steal mail in Hoover, a suburb outside of Birmingham, between August 2022 and April 2023 — before and after his home was searched by USPS inspectors, according to prosecutors.

Now Matthews, 27, of Birmingham, has been sentenced to five years and three months in prison in connection with the mail theft scheme , the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Alabama said in a July 1 news release.

He pleaded guilty in February 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, prosecutors said.

In November 2023, Gresham, 30, of Pleasant Grove, was sentenced to one year in federal prison on charges of conspiracy, public official accepting a bribe and possession of USPS keys, stolen, or reproduced, court records show.

Matthews’ and Gresham’s legal counsel didn’t immediately respond to McClatchy News’ requests for comment on July 2.

The case stems from August and September 2022, when Matthews’ vehicle was caught on surveillance footage at the post office in Hoover during incidents of mail theft, according to court documents.

A suspect was seen getting out of the car on a few occasions and accessing the blue mail collection boxes with a USPS key, court documents say.

Ahead of Matthews’ sentencing, his federal public defender, Courtney Murtha, requested a “low-end” sentence of three years and five months in prison for Matthews, court documents show.

Murtha wrote in a sentencing memorandum that Matthews “accepted responsibility” by pleading guilty and that a custodial sentence of 41 months would “have a significant deterrent impact on (him) and impress upon him the seriousness of his conduct.”

In a response filed in court, prosecutors wrote Matthews “led ongoing and criminal activity” for years that “was aimed at stealing checks and personal identifying information, and defrauding banks.”

“Matthews maintained this criminal activity despite a state term of probation, a federal search warrant of his residence, and his arrest,” prosecutors argued.

An attempt to steal more than $2.5 million

In April 2023, postal inspectors and Shelby County sheriff’s deputies were watching Matthews when he stole mail from two USPS collection boxes at the post office in Meadowbrook, according to prosecutors.

He put the mail inside his car, which was driven by another accomplice, prosecutors said.

Shortly afterward, deputies pulled the vehicle over and arrested Matthews and the driver, according to prosecutors, who said he was paid by Matthews to “drive him around.”

In March, the driver was sentenced to three years of probation on a possession of stolen mail charge, prosecutors said.

His court-appointed attorney, Erica Williamson Barnes, told McClatchy News on July 2 that he “regrets his association” with Matthews “and is grateful to put this matter behind him.”

Between October 2021 and May 2023, prosecutors said Matthews deposited several “altered or counterfeit checks by ATM or mobile deposit into co-conspirator’s bank accounts” and took a portion for himself.

They accused Matthews of trying to steal $2,747,077.58 through the stolen mail scheme.

Suspected mail theft can be reported to the USPS Inspection Service at 1-877-876-2455 or here .

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