EAST ST. LOUIS — Two women from the Metro East were sentenced to federal prison for their roles in a scheme involving mail theft and more than $100,000 in bank fraud, authorities announced Wednesday.
Tylann J. Starks, 30, of Swansea, received a four-year prison sentence after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud, multiple counts of bank fraud, aggravated identity theft, and conspiracy to steal U.S. mail. Tiara D. Johnson, 33, of Pontoon Beach, was sentenced to 27 months in prison following her guilty pleas to conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank fraud, and conspiracy to steal U.S. mail.
The two women, along with co-defendant Jamil Jackson, 52, allegedly stole mail from U.S. Postal Service collection boxes in the Metro East area between February 2020 and February 2023. Starks purchased a specialized postal key, known as an arrow key, from Jackson, a former postal employee, to gain access to the collection boxes. Agents later conducted an undercover purchase of a second arrow key from Jackson for $1,000.
The stolen mail was searched for checks, which the defendants used to obtain bank account and personal identifying information from victims. They then created counterfeit checks to cash, deposit, or negotiate at businesses, banks, and ATMs in Belleville, East St. Louis, and O’Fallon. Authorities estimate the scheme affected at least 100 victims with losses exceeding $100,000.
Jackson faces charges including conspiracy to steal U.S. mail, theft of a specialized postal key, and making false statements to federal law enforcement. He is scheduled to appear in court May 13, 2025.
U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft commended the investigative efforts of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General. “I commend the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General, for solving a difficult case by working with the public to get information, follow leads and piece together the investigation,” he said.
Ruth Mendonça, Inspector in Charge of the Chicago Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, emphasized the commitment to holding mail theft perpetrators accountable. “The sentencing in this case illustrates that individuals who engage in mail theft will be held accountable for their actions,” she said.
Dennus Bishop, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General’s Central Area Field Office, highlighted the collaboration involved in the case. “This sentencing represents the hard work and dedication by USPS OIG Special Agents working with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to bring charges on this significant mail theft investigation,” Bishop stated.
The investigation was conducted by agents with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General. U.S. Attorney Weinhoeft is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is a formal charge and does not imply guilt. Under U.S. law, defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt by a jury.
An indictment is merely a formal charge against a defendant. Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be innocent of a charge until proved guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to the satisfaction of a jury.
