2 defendants plead guilty in case involving armed robbery of mail carrier

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Two defendants pleaded guilty in federal court here today to crimes related to an April 2023 armed robbery of a mail carrier.

Da’mon D. May, 18, of Columbus, and Cody N. Beasley, also known as “Drose,” 22, of Columbus, are two of three defendants charged in this case.

According to court documents, on April 4 at 3:20pm, May and Mahad S. Jama, 21, of Westerville, robbed at gunpoint a USPS letter carrier who was sitting in his work vehicle on Sawmill Road in Dublin.

Jama allegedly approached the USPS vehicle, brandished a handgun that May provided him, and demanded the carrier’s U.S. Postal Service key. Beasley aided and abetted them in that robbery.

The defendants robbed the worker of an “arrow key” that gives access to mail collection boxes. The U.S. Attorney’s Office and partner law enforcement agencies continue to investigate a network of individuals involved in robbing or stealing U.S. Postal Service keys for the purpose of stealing checks from collection boxes. Two additional defendants were charged in a separate indictment in Columbus in August for four different armed robberies against U.S. Postal carriers.

May admitted in his plea that he provided Jama a 9mm handgun just prior to the robbery. On April 13, investigators discovered the stolen Postal key at May’s residence.

May pleaded guilty this morning to aiding and abetting the aggravated robbery of property of the United States, a crime punishable by up to 25 years in prison, and aiding and abetting the brandishing of a firearm during a crime of violence, which carries a potential sentence of at least seven years and up to life in prison.

Beasley pleaded guilty to possessing stolen mail in another district and to aiding and abetting the aggravated robbery of property of the United States in the current case.

Beasley admitted to stealing a Postal key in March 2023 in the Cleveland area. He and Jama were stopped for a traffic violation in Parma Heights and fled from law enforcement. Officers eventually detained the men and searched the vehicle they had been using, discovering a black trash bag with numerous pieces of mail that had not yet been postmarked. A search of Beasley’s phone also revealed pictures of stolen checks and research about 38 Post Offices and blue USPS collection boxes in Cleveland.

While Beasley and Jama were detained in jail together for the crimes in the Northern District of Ohio, Beasley admits he began planning for a new Postal robbery in Dublin. Beasley directed the April 4 armed robbery and later paid Jama for his alleged role in the theft.

Congress sets the maximum statutory sentences. Sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the Court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors at future hearings.

Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; and Lesley C. Allison, Inspector in Charge, U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Pittsburgh Division; announced the guilty pleas entered today before U.S. District Judge Edmund A. Sargus, Jr. Assistant United States Attorneys Noah R. Litton and Elizabeth A. Geraghty are representing the United States in this case.

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