Judge Sentences Miami Men For December 2010 Murder Of Postal Worker In Identity Theft Scheme

Wifredo A. Ferrer, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Antonio J. Gomez, Acting Inspector in Charge, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, José A. Gonzalez, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division (IRS-CI), J.D. Patterson, Acting Director, Miami-Dade Police Department, and Marc Elias Jr., Chief, North Miami Police Department, announce the sentence of Pikerson Mentor, 30, of Miami, to a life imprisonment. Saubnet Politesse, 24, was sentenced to 21 years imprisonment after pleading guilty to being Mentor’s getaway driver during the robbery resulting in U.S. Postal Service employee Bruce Parton’s death. Both sentences were imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Donald Graham.

Mentor had been previously convicted after a seven-day trial, during which approximately 40 witnesses were called. At the conclusion of that trial, the jury convicted Mentor of all fourteen counts of the Second Superseding Indictment, which included the murder of a federal government employee while in the course of his duties, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1114 and 111; car-jacking, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2119; theft of a key for a U.S. Postal Service mail receptacle, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1704; use of a firearm in the commission of a crime of violence, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(j); conspiracy to commit and commission of access device fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, 371 and 1029(a)(2); and aggravated identity theft, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1028A.

U.S. Attorney Wifredo A. Ferrer stated, “The sentences imposed today on the defendants for the ruthless murder of Bruce Parton, a hard-working and dedicated mail carrier, should send a clear message to our community: there are lifelong consequences to senseless acts of violence. I hope that the life imprisonment sentence of Pikerson Mentor, and 21 years imprisonment sentence of Saubnet Politesse, will bring some comfort and sense of justice to Mr. Parton’s family.”

Antonio J. Gomez, Acting Inspector in Charge for U.S. Postal Inspection Service stated, “Today’s sentencing is the result of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service working diligently with law enforcement partners to make sure that U.S. Postal Service employees are protected.”

“The death of U.S. Postal Service employee Bruce Parton is an absolute tragedy, and individuals who commit crimes of this magnitude deserve to be punished to the fullest extent of the law,” said Jose A. Gonzalez, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI). “Faced with the unique circumstances of this case, IRS Criminal Investigation along with our law enforcement partners and the United States Attorney's Office were committed to investigating and prosecuting these individuals who chose personal monetary gain over the value of another human being's life.”

“We hope that the family of Mr. Parton has found some justice with today’s sentencing. We are grateful for the cooperation and dedication of all the agencies that lead to the successful arrests and prosecution of the case,” said J.D. Patterson, Acting Director of the Miami-Dade Police Department.

North Miami Police Department Chief Marc Elias, Jr. stated, “The North Miami Police Department is proud to have worked in partnership with the United States Postal Inspection Service and our Federal and Local law enforcement agencies in bringing the murderers of Bruce Parton of the U.S. Postal Services to justice. This is another example of law enforcement agencies collaborating to remove armed and dangerous subjects from the streets of South Florida.”

According to trial evidence, U.S. Postal Service letter carrier Bruce Parton was murdered on December 6, 2010 as he delivered mail to the Monte Carlo apartment complex in northwest Miami. Mentor and his accomplices stole the victim’s U.S Postal master key, called an Arrow Key, and the keys to the victim’s postal truck. Postal keys are used by letter carriers to access mailboxes. Witnesses testified that they heard two shots at the scene, and an eyewitness testified that she saw the defendant fleeing the apartment complex in the victim’s stolen truck. In addition, Saubnet Politesse, a co-conspirator who testified regarding his role in the conspiracy, confirmed that Mentor had shot the victim mail carrier. In addition, witnesses explained how the defendants used the stolen master key to enter mailboxes to steal private financial and personal identification information and to intercept debit cards loaded with fraudulently obtained tax refunds.

During trial, North Miami Police detectives testified about the May 4, 2011, arrest of Saubnet Politesse for driving without a license. During that arrest, the officers discovered a unique looking key with an obliterated serial number. The serial number was subsequently restored and matched the serial number of the victim’s stolen master key. Upon being questioned by the police, Politesse described his, Mentor’s and another person’s participation in the December 6 robbery and murder. Thereafter, early in the morning of May 5, 2011, defendant Mentor was arrested.

Politesse pleaded guilty to charges related to his participation in the robbery/homicide as a getaway driver. Politesse testified as a government witness and was ultimately sentenced to 21 years’ imprisonment during the sentencing hearing immediately following Mentor’s sentence.

Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, IRS-CI, Miami-Dade Police Department and the North Miami Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anthony LaCosta and Roy Altman.

A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.