BEAUMONT– A Port Arthur man has been sentenced to federal prison in connection with a mail theft scheme in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs.

Charles Vernon Roberts, 27, pleaded guilty to possession of 15 or more unauthorized devices and aggravated identity theft and was sentenced to a total of 30 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on Nov. 19.

According to information presented in court, local law enforcement received complaints of stolen mail from the Tobe Hahn and South End post offices in Beaumont.  Surveillance video confirmed an individual removing items from those post office boxes.  License plate recognition software led to an apartment in Port Arthur where Roberts was successfully identified.  A search of Roberts’ apartment revealed a counterfeit postal arrow key, 35 checks/money orders, several debit/credit cards, and several pieces of opened and unopened mail not belonging to Roberts.

This case was investigated by the Port Arthur Police Department, Beaumont Police Department, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel Grove.