Stashing stolen mail in 55-gallon trash bags leads to prison for two Texans, feds say

Stashing a “staggering heap of stolen mail” worth over $4 million in 55-gallon trash bags is sending two Texas postal contractors to prison, authorities say.

With over 8,000 pieces of mail found in the workers’ shared home in Slaton, authorities say this was the “largest ever seizure of stolen mail” in the Northern District of Texas.

Joe Roy Rivas III and Jessica Lynn Solomon were indicted on a charge of conspiracy to possess stolen mail in October 2021, according to an April 21 news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Texas district.

Rivas, 22, pleaded guilty in December, authorities say, and Solomon, 35, pleaded guilty two weeks later.

Rivas was sentenced to 57 months in federal prison earlier this month, and Solomon was sentenced on April 21 to 37 months in prison, according to the release. They will spend a combined total of more than seven years in custody.

“Mr. Rivas is thankful to be sentenced and is ready to move on to the next stage of his life,” defense attorney Michael King told McClatchy News. “He is looking forward to completing his prison sentence and getting back home to friends and family.”

“We felt the judge gave us a full opportunity to present Jessica’s side of the case, and took a well-reasoned approach to her sentencing,” defense attorney David Sloan told McClatchy News. “Her relatively minor role was taken into account.”

Before the two were caught, they worked together at Cargo Force, Inc., a contracted company with the U.S. Postal Service, McClatchy News previously reported.

They were tasked with loading mail into and out of air containers for flights through the Lubbock International Airport, officials said.

Rivas and Solomon admitted to stealing mail from the “start of their employment,” about two years before they were caught in early 2021, according to the news release.

“During their shifts, they sifted through mail looking for items containing merchandise, cash, gift cards, checks, and money orders,” officials said.

All 8,000 pieces of the stolen mail found in their home had been postmarked within a span of about four days, authorities said. The mailings were headed for 36 states in the contiguous U.S., Washington, D.C., and the Virgin Islands.

“Prosecutors highlighted some of the mail that had been kept from its proper recipients: a multitude of payments to entities such as mortgage bankers; over 40 pieces of mail related to federal court proceedings; more than 50 letters from local college admissions offices to applicants; and numerous greeting cards intended to brighten someone’s day,” authorities said.

The stolen mail was being sent from or to many establishments, including banks, churches, charities, law enforcement offices, school districts, funeral homes and hospitals, officials said.

Court documents show the stolen mail included:

• A $2 million check to Pershing, LLC
• A $241,863 check to Sodexo Inc. & Affiliates food services company
• A $25,728 check to National Rural Telecom Coop

Authorities said the scheme also included the “washing” of checks — removing the payee on a check and replacing the name with someone else — along with selling cellphones also stolen from the mail.

Slaton is about 20 miles southeast of Lubbock in northwest Texas.

This story was originally published April 22, 2022 at 4:52 PM with the headline "Stashing stolen mail in 55-gallon trash bags leads to prison for two Texans, feds say."