Two Louisiana Men Charged with Mail Theft and Unlawful Possession of Postal Key Face Prison Time and a Fine if Convicted

New Orleans, Louisiana - Kelan Perry Gennings and Eric Williams have been charged with mail theft and unlawful possession of a postal key in Covington, Louisiana, facing up to five and ten years in prison, respectively

Kelan Perry Gennings, age 21, and Eric Williams, age 20, were charged with theft or receipt of stolen mail matter, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1708, and unlawful possession of a postal key, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1704, in a two-count indictment on December 9, 2022.

In Count 1 of the indictment, Gennings and Williams are accused of stealing US Mail from a Covington Post Office letterbox. Both men risk up to five years in prison if convicted. In Count 2, Gennings is charged with unlawfully possessing a key adopted by the US Postal Service with the intent to unlawfully and improperly use on an authorized receptacle for the deposit of mail matter. If found guilty of Count 2, Gennings could face up to ten years in jail. Each count carries an extra penalty of up to three years of probation, a fine of up to $250,000, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.

U.S. Attorney Evans emphasized that the indictment is only an accusation and that the defendant's guilt must be established beyond a reasonable doubt.

The investigation was conducted by the United States Postal Inspection Service. Spiro G. Latsis, assistant United States attorney, is in charge of the prosecution.