Two men from Ocala, ages 19 and 20, were sentenced to prison this week in connection with their robbery spree of postal carriers in Florida.
On Thursday, United States District Judge Carlos E. Mendoza sentenced 20-year-old Jacoby Jules Colon to 10 years in federal prison for conspiracy to rob postal carriers, armed postal robbery, and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.
In addition, Judge Mendoza sentenced Darius Rodney Capers, 19, to 4 years and 9 months in federal prison for conspiracy to rob postal carriers and attempted robbery of a postal carrier.
Colon and Capers both pleaded guilty to the charges in July of 2023.
According to court records, Colon and Capers robbed three postal carriers. Additionally, Colon also attempted to rob a fourth postal carrier.
On September 14, 2022, Colon and Capers robbed a postal carrier in Fort Lauderdale and stole his arrow key, which is a master key used to open U.S. mail receptacles. Several weeks later, on October 4 and October 6, 2022, Colon and Capers robbed two postal carriers in Orlando, stealing their arrow keys.
During the robbery on October 6, Colon wielded a firearm and threatened the carrier. During all three robberies, Capers kept watch and was the getaway driver.
On October 25, 2022, Capers attempted to rob a fourth postal carrier in Tampa, but his efforts were thwarted when the carrier resisted.
U.S. Postal Inspectors witnessed Colon and Capers using one of the stolen arrow keys to access a mail collection box in the parking lot of the Azalea Park Post Office located at 501 N Semoran Boulevard in Orlando. Colon and Capers both admitted to stealing mail to further engage in check fraud.
U.S. Postal Inspectors executed search warrants at a hotel in Orlando where Capers had been staying, as well as at the homes of Colon and Capers in Ocala. The inspectors recovered several pieces of stolen mail, fraudulent checks, ski masks, and several firearms. Additionally, they located a photo sent by Colon to Capers that depicted one of the stolen arrow keys, and it was being worn by Colon.
This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, Ocala Police Department, Marion County Sheriff’s Office, and Broward County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael P. Felicetta.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, which is a program that brings together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve in an effort to reduce violent crime and gun violence.