Anchorage, Alaska - U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced that an Anchorage man was sentenced by Senior U.S. District Judge Ralph R. Beistline yesterday to serve two years in federal prison for stealing approximately 400 cell phones from the U.S. mail, and for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Jermaine N. Sails, 42, of Anchorage, was formerly a supervisor at International Bridge, Inc., an Anchorage business which handled U.S. mail matter on a contract basis. As a supervisor, Sails had access to a secure storage area at International Bridge. Beginning in October 2016, Sails began entering the secure area after hours and removing mail parcels which contained cell phones. Sails then stole the cell phones contained in the parcels and later sold them through various means, including by placing ads on Craigslist, for an average of $150 each.
In August 2017, with the assistance of management at International Bridge, agents with the U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General began conducting surveillance of the secure storage area. On Aug. 31, 2017, Sails was caught in the act of stealing three cell phones. After his arrest, Sails consented to a search of his vehicle, and agents discovered a loaded 9mm handgun inside. As a previously convicted felon, Sails was unlawfully in possession of the weapon.
Sails was indicted by a federal grand jury in December 2017 for one count of Interfering with United States mail matter, and one count of felon in possession of a firearm. Sails pleaded guilty to both counts in June 2018.
In addition to the two-year prison sentence, Judge Beistline ordered Sails to pay $50,633.11 in restitution for the value of the stolen cell phones. Sails was also placed on a three-year period of supervised release following service of his custody sentence, and the firearm he was unlawfully in possession of was forfeited to the government.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General, with the assistance of management at International Bridge, Inc. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Bottini.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
