DELRAY BEACH, Fla. — A U.S. Postal Service mail carrier is facing federal charges of selling Arrow Keys assigned to mailboxes in Boca Raton, Delray Beach and Boynton Beach, and stolen checks worth nearly $550,000.
Hudson Adrien, 41, of Margate, was arrested Monday. He is accused of theft of mail by an employee and stealing keys.
Adrien appeared before U.S. District Judge Jared Strauss in Fort Lauderdale.
The keys are used by postal employees to open mailboxes for incoming and outgoing mail from collection boxes, outdoor parcel lockers, cluster box units and apartment mailbox panels.
In June, federal agents received a tip about Adrien wanting to sell a key for $10,000.
On Aug. 2, an undercover agent met with Adrien at a Walmart in Pompano Beach, where he sold the key and an envelope with a stolen check in it, according to the criminal complaint. The key had been reported as being missing by the Delray Beach Post Office.
He also said he had a "duffel bag full of checks" at his residence.
Then on Thursday, he sold the undercover agent another Arrow Key, and 21 stolen checks with a total value of $549,407 in exchange for $45,000, according to the criminal complaint.
After the exchange, Adrien was detained by the Broward Sheriff's Office. During an interview, he "admitted to stealing mail matter, selling Arrow Keys and selling stolen checks," according to the document. He also said he has "several hundred thousand dollars' worth of additional checks at his residence."
