Man sentenced to over 11 years in prison for robbing multiple mail carriers
(Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES - A Nicaraguan man living in the country illegally was sentenced to 135 months in prison for conducting a two-week crime spree targeting mail carriers.
According to the Justice Department, from April 30 to May 14, 2021, 22-year-old Elvyn Antonio (Meneses) Rodriguez robbed five United States Postal Service (USPS) employees in Encino, North Hills, Van Nuys and West LA. Rodriguez would point a gun at them and steal personal belongings like their cell phones, credit cards and the keys to their USPS trucks.
Rodriguez would use the victims’ credit cards to purchase items at various retail stores.
In the fifth robbery, Rodriguez fired his gun so close to the victim that it caused the victim’s eardrum to rupture. After firing his gun, Rodriguez stole mail from the victim and fled in a stolen vehicle.
Rodriguez, who has been in federal custody since May 2021, caused USPS a loss of at least $1,805, one victim a loss of $60 and another victim a loss of $960. A judge has ordered him to pay $2,825 in restitution to the USPS and two mail carriers.