A Fort Worth man, 18-year-old Willis Bender, admitted guilt on Wednesday for concealing a stolen U.S. Postal Service "Arrow Key," as announced by U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas, Leigha Simonton.
Bender, charged through a criminal complaint in October 2023, pleaded guilty to receiving or concealing stolen property of the United States.
According to plea documents, Bender confessed to receiving and hiding the stolen "Arrow Key," a crucial tool used by the U.S. Postal Service for collecting mail from blue collection boxes.
The key, highly coveted by mail thieves, was reported stolen from a letter carrier in Everman, Texas, on September 20, 2023. The carrier reported being robbed at gunpoint by an individual who demanded her "mailbox key."
During interviews with law enforcement, Bender provided varying explanations of his involvement in the robbery. Initially denying any knowledge, he later claimed coercion by an individual who threatened his family. Subsequent statements included being threatened with a gun and being made to wait outside during the robbery.
In his final interview, Bender alleged that upon seeing police in the area, he discovered the stolen arrow key outside his door. To avoid trouble, he purportedly hid it behind an air duct grill in his bedroom, alongside his firearm.
Bender now faces a potential sentence of up to 10 years in federal prison.
