Anchorage, Alaska-U.S. Attorney Karen Loeffler announced today that two men were each sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Timothy M. Burgess to serve 21 months in federal prison for burglarizing the post office in Sand Point, Alaska.
Sheldon Wilson Shuravloff, 21, and Keith Lee Wilson, Jr., 19, both of Sand Point, Alaska, previously pled guilty to burglarizing the Sand Point post office in the early morning hours of Dec. 28, 2014. The burglary caused more than $15,000 in damage to the post office and shut down the facility for a week while the investigation and repairs were completed.
In shutting down the post office, Shuravloff and Wilson forced Sand Point residents to go without certain essentials for that time, including medicines, baby formula, and household items. A statement sent to the court by the Sand Point postmaster also noted that Shuravloff and Wilson’s actions caused delay in the delivery of fishing permits and fishing gear essential to the operation of the Sand Point fishing fleet - the main source of income in the small community.
Upon release from prison, both Shuravloff and Wilson will remain under court supervision for three years. During that time, both men will be required to complete 250 hours of community service and pay restitution to the United States Postal Service in the amount of $15,779.92.
In sentencing the men, Judge Burgess called the burglary an extremely serious crime that had a tremendous impact on the Sand Point community as a whole. Judge Burgess specifically noted the intangible harms suffered by the community as a result of the Shuravloff and Wilson’s actions. Finally, Judge Burgess cited the need to protect the public from future crimes of both defendants, noting that both men had amassed lengthy criminal records that stretched back to their early teens.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Loeffler praised the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Sand Point Police Department, and the Alaska State Troopers for their investigation of the case.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
