Two St. Lucie County men sentenced for robbing postal workers at gunpoint in Florida

Port St. Lucie, Florida – Two men from St. Lucie County, Florida, have been sentenced to federal prison for their roles in a series of armed robberies targeting U.S. Postal Service (USPS) letter carriers. The men stole postal keys to access mail collection boxes, terrorizing postal employees in the process. U.S. District Court Judge K. Michael Moore handed down the sentences in Fort Pierce, Florida.

Defendants and Sentences

• Bernard Jerome Davis III, 20, of Port St. Lucie, was sentenced to 192 months (16 years) in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. He pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including two counts of conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery, two counts of armed robbery of U.S. property, one count of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, attempted Hobbs Act robbery, and Hobbs Act robbery.
• Jalen Dennis Elliott, 19, also of Port St. Lucie, was sentenced to 30 months (2.5 years) in prison, followed by two years of supervised release. He pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery and Hobbs Act robbery.

A third co-defendant, Jamal Travon Brown Weathers, 23, of Fort Pierce, pleaded guilty on June 12 and is scheduled for sentencing on October 24 in Fort Pierce.

A String of Violent Robberies

According to court records and factual statements supporting the guilty pleas, between November 19, 2022, and October 21, 2023, Davis, Elliott, and Brown Weathers robbed at least six USPS letter carriers across St. Lucie, Brevard, Orange, and Miami-Dade counties in Florida.

November 19, 2022: The First Robbery

On November 19, 2022, a USPS letter carrier was delivering mail inside an apartment complex in Port St. Lucie. While at the mailboxes, she was approached by Brown Weathers. He demanded, “Give me the key.” He then grabbed and yanked the keys attached to her uniform pants. Brandishing a semi-automatic handgun, he threatened, “Give me the f—— key. You got five seconds to give up the key.” Fearing for her life, the letter carrier unhooked her arrow key and handed it over. Brown Weathers fled in a vehicle driven by Davis. Later, a St. Lucie County Sheriff’s deputy pursued the vehicle, which belonged to Brown Weathers’ mother. The occupants fled on foot, and a K-9 deputy recovered the firearm used in the robbery along their escape path.

The Significance of the Arrow Key

A Postal arrow key is a special key assigned to U.S. Post Offices, authorized for use only by USPS employees in their official duties. It opens mail receptacles within a specific area, allowing postal workers to collect and deliver mail. Possession of such a key grants access to numerous mailboxes, making it a valuable target for thieves seeking to steal mail.

May 12, 2023: Two Robberies in One Day

On May 12, 2023, Brown Weathers and Davis escalated their criminal activities by robbing two USPS letter carriers at gunpoint in the Middle District of Florida.

At approximately 12:13 p.m., a letter carrier was delivering mail in Melbourne, Florida, when Davis approached with a black firearm. He demanded the arrow key, and once the carrier handed it over, Davis fled in a Nissan Altima he had rented.

Just over an hour later, at about 1:20 p.m., another letter carrier was on his route in Orlando, Florida. A Nissan Altima stopped behind his postal vehicle. Brown Weathers exited the car, ran toward the carrier while holding a black firearm, grabbed him by the shirt, and demanded the arrow key. The carrier complied, and Brown Weathers fled in the same rented Nissan Altima driven by Davis.

August 1, 2023: Attempted Robberies in Fort Pierce

On August 1, 2023, a letter carrier was delivering mail in Fort Pierce when she noticed a white Pontiac Grand Prix following her. The car pulled up behind her USPS vehicle, and she saw Davis approaching with a black semi-automatic firearm. Realizing she was about to be robbed, she quickly drove away and called 911. The same white vehicle then followed another letter carrier, who also alerted authorities.

October 11, 2023: Another Armed Robbery

On October 11, 2023, a letter carrier in Fort Pierce was confronted by Davis. He approached the driver’s side of the postal vehicle, brandishing a black semi-automatic handgun, and demanded the arrow key. After the carrier handed over the key, Davis fled in a white vehicle.

October 21, 2023: Robbery in Miami Beach

On October 21, 2023, a letter carrier was delivering mail in an apartment community in Miami Beach when Davis confronted her. He shouted, “Give me the keys,” and ripped the keys, including the arrow key, from her hand, causing an injury. Davis then fled to a waiting black BMW SUV driven by Elliott.

Law Enforcement Response

“The defendants brazenly terrorized loyal public servants, U.S. Postal Service letter carriers working in Florida, at gunpoint for their postal keys with the intent to steal mail from collection boxes. Their sentencing shows that the safety of U.S. Postal Service employees is of the utmost importance,” said U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida. “Armed assaults on letter carriers negatively impact our entire community, which relies on the U.S. Postal Service for the safe delivery of the mail.”

Juan A. Vargas, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Miami Division, added, “The prison sentences handed down to these defendants should serve as a reminder that violent acts committed against U.S. Postal Service employees providing service to the community will not be tolerated and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, along with our law enforcement partners, will ensure that those committing these acts will be pursued and justly punished for their crimes.”

Investigation and Prosecution

The case was investigated by multiple agencies, including:

• U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS)
• Miami Beach Police Department
• St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office
• Fort Pierce Police Department
• Orange County Sheriff’s Office
• Brevard County Sheriff’s Office

The Port St. Lucie Police Department also provided assistance. Managing Assistant U.S. Attorney Carmen M. Lineberger is prosecuting the case.

Project Safe Delivery Initiative

This case is part of Project Safe Delivery (PSD), a joint initiative by the U.S. Postal Service and U.S. Postal Inspection Service aimed at combating postal crime and protecting postal employees. Announced in May 2023 in response to a rise in threats and attacks on letter carriers and mail theft incidents, PSD focuses on:

• Protecting Postal employees and the mail stream
• Preventing incidents through education and awareness
• Enforcing laws that protect the nation’s mail system

Since the launch of PSD, postal inspectors, working with law enforcement partners, have arrested more than 287 individuals for postal-related robberies through June 30, 2024. In the first six months of the fiscal year, arrests for postal-related robberies rose 72% compared to the same period the previous year, while the number of such robberies dropped 21%. Mail theft complaints decreased by 35%, suggesting the PSD approach is achieving its intended goals.

Community Impact and Safety Measures

The armed robberies had a profound impact on the postal workers involved and the communities they serve. Letter carriers perform essential duties, ensuring the safe and timely delivery of mail. Attacks on them not only endanger their lives but also disrupt the trust and reliability placed in the postal system.

Customers are encouraged to report stolen mail as soon as possible by submitting an online complaint to the Postal Inspection Service at www.uspis.gov/report or by calling 877-876-2455. The Postal Inspection Service is authorized to issue monetary rewards for the forcible assault, robbery, or attempted robbery of any custodian of mail or property under the control of the Postal Service. Additionally, individuals are encouraged to report allegations of Postal Service employee misconduct, including attempts to corrupt a Postal Service employee, to the USPS Office of Inspector General at 1-888-877-7644 or www.uspsoig.gov.

The coordinated efforts of federal and local law enforcement agencies have led to the apprehension and prosecution of individuals who posed significant threats to postal workers and the integrity of the mail system. The sentences handed down serve as a deterrent to others who might consider similar crimes.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service remain committed to protecting postal employees and ensuring the safety of the mail. As U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe stated, the safety of USPS employees is of the utmost importance, and armed assaults on letter carriers negatively impact the entire community.