2 Columbus men indicted in Springboro mail thefts

U.S. Postal Service mail collection boxes. NICK GRAHAM/STAFF FILE

U.S. Postal Service mail collection boxes. NICK GRAHAM/STAFF FILE

Two Columbus men indicted by a Warren County grand jury are accused of stealing mail from a collection box in Springboro.

What are they indicted for?

Yahir Nazario Reyes, 22, and Carlos Patricio Sanchez-Guzman, 20, were each indicted for tampering with evidence, theft of mail and possessing criminal tools. Sanchez-Guzman also is charged with falsification and obstructing official business, a misdemeanor, for reportedly lying to police about his identity when he was arrested.

What are they accused of?

A Springboro detective on Aug. 17 reportedly witnessed a theft from a U.S. Postal Service blue collection box at 55 S. Pioneer Blvd. while surveilling the area as part of an investigation into recent thefts from the collection box, according to the Springboro Police Department.

The detective reportedly saw three men — Reyes, a man later identified as Sanchez-Guzman and Joshua Hernandez, 20 — remove mail from the collection box and toss mail out of a vehicle window, according to court records.

“Sticky mouse traps were located that the (defendants) used to remove the mail,” a complaint read.

A grand jury declined to indict Hernandez, court records show.

What’s next?

Reyes and Sanchez-Guzman are scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday in Warren County Common Pleas Court.

Springboro police are continuing to investigate. Detectives are working with the U.S. Postal Service Office of Investigations.

Mail thefts on the rise

Mail thefts have been a reoccurring issue throughout Southwest Ohio, including Beavercreek, Trotwood, Oakwood, Dayton, Riverside, Kettering and the Centerville/Washington Twp., in recent years.

Last month Anthony Parks pleaded guilty to one count of robbery of a letter carrier in U.S. Southern District of Ohio.

Parks was linked to the robbery of two mail carriers who had their arrow, or route, keys taken in Dayton, according to federal court records.

He reportedly used the stolen keys to access USPS collection boxes and take mail.

Investigators also determined Parks used social media to conspire with others about how to rob mail carriers and cash altered checks, according to court documents.

About the Authors