Two men have been sentenced to federal prison after pleading guilty to charges related to the theft of U.S. mail, according to a May 7 announcement by Margaret E. “Meg” Heap, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.
Michael Jermaine Thompson, 24, of North Augusta, South Carolina, received a sentence of 60 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release and a $2,000 fine after pleading guilty to Possession of a Stolen Mail Key and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Robert Dean Plyler, 23, of Augusta, was previously sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge J. Randal Hall to 38 months in prison and three years supervised release after pleading guilty to Possession of Stolen Mail, Bank Fraud, and Aggravated Identity Theft.
There is no parole in the federal system.
“The security of the U.S. Mail is vital to commerce and communications, and mail theft is a serious matter,” said Heap. “These sentences hold both men accountable, and deliver a timely warning that we will diligently pursue those who would violate the mail system.”
According to court records and testimony, North Augusta police officers were alerted in December 2024 when two men were seen opening a blue postal box outside the Georgia Avenue post office and placing stolen mail into their car trunk. Officers attempted a traffic stop on their vehicle as it crossed into Georgia; following a pursuit that ended with the vehicle crashing, Thompson and Plyler were taken into custody.
Investigators from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and Richmond County Sheriff’s Office recovered both a pistol and large quantities of stolen mail from the car; jail personnel also found Thompson had possession of an official postal service key at booking. Authorities recovered 131 pieces of stolen mail affecting 29 victims; further investigation revealed Plyler had opened an account under his name where he deposited checks obtained through these thefts. Judge Hall ordered Plyler to pay $1,157 in restitution.
“This sentencing is a statement that mail theft will not be tolerated,” said Rodney M. Hopkins with the Postal Inspection Service’s Atlanta Division. “The Postal Inspection Service will continue to partner with other law enforcement agencies to collectively pursue criminals who victimize postal customers.”
Matt Ploskunak from FBI Atlanta’s Augusta office said, “Stealing from the U.S. Mail is not a victimless crime – it disrupts lives… These defendants not only targeted that system but one did so while unlawfully possessing a firearm… The FBI will continue …to aggressively pursue those who exploit the mail for personal gain.”
The case was investigated by multiple agencies including the Postal Inspection Service; prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelsey L. Scanlon for the Southern District of Georgia.
The U.S Attorney for this district prosecutes federal crimes—including cases like this—and manages civil litigation for the United States; its staff includes about 70 attorneys and support staff working out of Savannah headquarters or its branch office in Augusta under authority granted by Department of Justice guidelines, according to its official website.
