Four individuals in the St. Louis area have admitted to federal charges linked to a conspiracy involving bank fraud with checks stolen from the mail. Among those charged is a former U.S. Postal Service employee.
Johnathan Barnett, 29, from University City, was sentenced in the U.S. District Court in St. Louis to 80 months’ imprisonment and must pay restitution totaling $44,135. U.S. District Judge Matthew T. Schelp delivered the sentence after Barnett pleaded guilty in December. Barnett faced charges of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, possession of stolen mail, and being a felon with a firearm.
Barnett's involvement in the conspiracy, which spanned from January 2022 to September 2023, included purchasing a key to U.S. Postal Service collection boxes from mail carrier Wynter Hinton. Barnett, Hinton, and accomplices Ryan McKinney and Jayden Burklow used this key to access mail collections in St. Louis County, from which Hinton also stole checks during her postal rounds.
The group altered checks to create counterfeit versions, recruiting others to deposit these into bank accounts. They aimed to withdraw funds before banks identified the fraudulent checks, planning a total theft of over $800,000.
During a search of Barnett’s residence on September 15, 2023, authorities reported Barnett attempted to escape with a firearm. Additional firearms and check-making tools were discovered in his home. His criminal record includes a 2014 drug charge and charges of first-degree assault and armed criminal action in 2020.
Hinton, 29, from St. Ann, and McKinney, 24, from St. Louis, entered guilty pleas on Wednesday. Hinton admitted to unlawfully using a mail key, while McKinney pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and possession of stolen mail. Sentencing for both is scheduled for July.
Burklow, 21, of O’Fallon, Illinois, admitted guilt in March to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and possession of stolen mail. His sentencing will occur in June.
Inspector in Charge Ruth Mendonça of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service commented on the case, emphasizing accountability for mail theft. She said, “The Inspection Service is proud to work with our local, state and federal partners to bring Mail Theft perpetrators to justice and prevent financial crimes targeting local citizens, postal customers, and financial institutions.”
Special Agent in Charge Dennus Bishop applauded the joint efforts of USPS OIG Special Agents and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in resolving this mail theft investigation, asserting their continuous commitment to securing the U.S. mail system.
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, along with local law enforcement agencies. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Gwen Carroll.
