ORLANDO, Fla. – Two Ocala men pleaded guilty in the robbery of three U.S. Postal Service letter carriers that occurred in Florida last year.
Jacoby Jules Colon, 20, and Darius Rodney Capers, 19, pleaded guilty to the robberies that occurred in Fort Lauderdale and Orlando between September and October 2022, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida.
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Colon, previously referred to as an unnamed accomplice in the case, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to rob postal carriers, armed postal robbery and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, for which he faces five years, 25 years and a minimum of seven years, and up to life in prison, for each offense respectively.
Capers pleaded guilty to conspiracy to rob postal carriers and attempted robbery of a postal carrier, for which he faces a maximum of 15 years in prison.
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According to court records, the string of robberies began on Sept. 14, 2022 when the pair robbed a mail carrier in Fort Lauderdale. From there, records show they robbed two Orlando mail carriers on Oct. 6 and 8, with Colon threatening one of the victims by implying he had a gun.
All three mail carriers said their arrow keys were stolen, which is a master key used by U.S. Postal Service workers to open mailboxes.
Capers admitted to acting as Colon’s lookout and getaway driver during the robberies, according to federal officials.
Capers also attempted to rob a Tampa postman on Oct. 25, 2022, but fled the scene after the victim resisted, records show.
U.S. Postal Inspectors reported seeing the men using a stolen arrow key to access a mail collection box at the Azalea Park Post Office. The pair later admitted their plan to steal mail was part of a larger plot to engage in check fraud, district officials said.
Upon searching the homes of Colon and Capers, as well as an Orlando hotel where they had been staying, U.S. Postal Inspectors said they found several pieces of stolen mail, fraudulent checks, ski masks and several guns.
Colon’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for Sept. 20, 2023, while Capers is scheduled for July 18, 2023.
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