CHICAGO — A person accused of robbing a U.S. Postal Service mail service has been given a four-year sentence. Michael Valentine, 38, acquired a concurrent four-year sentence for utilizing the postal employee’s grasp key to steal mail in Rogers Park.
Postal service masters, also referred to as “arrow keys,” permit mail carriers to entry house buildings and mailbox methods.
Cops initially arrested Valentine within the 6700 block of North Lakewood on December 6, 2023, after receiving a name a couple of housebreaking in progress. The police mentioned they discovered bulk mail addressed to completely different folks inside Valentine’s canvas bag and a postal service grasp key about 15 ft from the place they detained him.
Investigators decided that the important thing had been taken from a mail service weeks earlier throughout a theft.
Prosecutors solely charged Valentine with housebreaking and possession of housebreaking instruments, however detectives continued to analyze the theft. That investigation led them proper again to Valentine.
Earlier this 12 months, prosecutors filed theft costs towards Valentine, saying he was the robber who took that grasp key from a 62-year-old mail service within the 10300 block of South Calumet in November final 12 months.
Valentine approached her together with his fingers in his pockets and “forcefully demanded” her work keys, in accordance with paperwork filed by prosecutors. The mail service surrendered her keys, bolted to her work truck, and locked herself inside. Prosecutors mentioned he tried to open the truck and banged on its doorways, however he ultimately ran away. The postal employee recognized him months later in a photograph lineup.
Court docket information present Valentine has resolved each circumstances by pleading responsible to theft and housebreaking. Valentine acquired a four-year sentence from Choose Aleksandra Gillespie, which he can cut back to 2 years with good habits. After receiving credit score for the time he spent on an ankle monitor pending trial, he’s anticipated to be launched on February 27, 2026.
One other sentencing
A remarkably prolific mail thief who confronted 20 separate housebreaking and identification theft circumstances for allegedly stealing mail downtown and throughout the North Facet has been given a nine-year sentence.
Jonathan Minter, 36, lower a cope with prosecutors and pleaded responsible to 5 counts of housebreaking and two counts of identification theft, in accordance with court docket information. The deal resulted within the dismissal of all different circumstances.
Prosecutors accused him of finishing up comparable crimes within the 5900 block of North Lincoln, the 5800 block of North Clark, the 1100 block of West Ardmore, the 5600 block of North Broadway, the 5700 block of North Winthrop, and the 3800 block of North Fremont.
Final November, Minter allegedly used an arrow key or different gadget to avoid the locks and take away mail and property from a constructing within the 4600 block of West Lawrence. We shared a video of that incident with you a number of days later:
He struck once more on December 16, stealing mail from the condos at 320 North Michigan, prosecutors alleged. On December 27, he allegedly used a U.S. Postal Service grasp key to enter a residential bundle room at 1801 South Michigan and tried to steal packages, one other grievance mentioned.
Prosecutors mentioned he and an confederate used postal service grasp keys to steal mail from a rental constructing within the 800 block of South Wells 4 occasions between July and September final 12 months.
Whereas lots of these circumstances have been pending, Minter stopped displaying up for court docket and allegedly spent a few of his free time stealing extra mail and utilizing a few of his victims’ bank cards and IDs to take pleasure in resort lodging on the Ritz-Carlton Chicago Lodge and a Homewood Suites close to the Magnificent Mile.
Choose Ursula Walowski handed him a two-year sentence for 2 counts of identification theft. Choose William Gamboney gave him seven years for 5 housebreaking circumstances. The sentences might be served consecutively, giving him an efficient sentence of 9 years. That might be lower in half for good habits.
