Mail theft is a federal offense, not a state crime. Because the United States Postal Service is a federal agency, any theft from the mail system — including mailboxes, mail trucks, postal facilities, or packages in transit — falls under federal jurisdiction and is prosecuted by federal prosecutors, not Colorado state attorneys. This is a critical distinction: federal cases move through a different court system, operate under different procedural rules, and typically involve more severe sentencing guidelines with far less flexibility for parole.
Under 18 U.S.C. § 1708, mail theft is punishable by up to five years in federal prison per count. There is no parole in the federal system — defendants serve at least 85% of their imposed sentence. Fines can reach $250,000. And because mail theft often co-occurs with identity theft or fraud, defendants frequently face multiple stacked counts, each carrying its own potential sentence.
Mail theft charges are not limited to stealing envelopes from a neighbor’s mailbox. Federal prosecutors pursue mail theft allegations in connection with:
Colorado has seen a significant increase in organized mail theft rings, and federal law enforcement — including U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) agents — actively investigates these cases. Postal inspectors are federal law enforcement officers with arrest authority, and their investigations are often thorough and well-documented before charges are filed.
A mail theft conviction at the federal level carries up to five years in federal prison per count, plus fines. Unlike the Colorado state system, the federal Bureau of Prisons has no parole. Defendants serve their sentence at a federal facility, which may be located far from Colorado.
If mail theft occurred in connection with identity theft, the charges and penalties compound further. Under 18 U.S.C. § 1028, aggravated identity theft carries a mandatory minimum of two years in prison — which runs consecutively to any other sentence, not concurrently. This means a defendant convicted of mail theft and aggravated identity theft faces at least two years of mandatory federal prison time on top of whatever sentence the mail theft count carries.
Federal prosecutors build strong cases before making arrests. They have access to video surveillance from USPS facilities and neighborhood cameras, postal inspection records, financial records, and cooperating witnesses. What appears to be a straightforward case against you may actually be a prosecution built over months of investigation.
Ignorance is not a complete defense — accepting stolen mail without realizing it is stolen can still support a federal charge in some circumstances. But the prosecution must still prove you knew the mail was stolen or acted with the required intent. These elements can be challenged, and the evidence supporting them is often more contestable than prosecutors suggest.
Federal prosecutors understand that a strong defense attorney can level the playing field. They will project confidence and move quickly, hoping you will accept a plea without fully understanding your options or the weaknesses in their case. Our attorneys know how to read a federal case file, identify suppression issues, challenge witness credibility, and negotiate from a position of strength.
Even if you are only under investigation for mail theft — no charges filed yet — an experienced attorney can take steps to protect you from the moment you are aware of the investigation. Early intervention matters in federal cases, where the pre-indictment period is often the best window for outcome-shaping conversations with the government.
At Shazam Kianpour & Associates, P.C., we defend clients against federal mail theft and mail fraud charges in the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado. Contact us online or call 303-825-1075 for a free consultation. We answer phones 24/7 and can meet with you in custody if necessary.
Written by
Shazam KianpourDenver Criminal Defense Attorney & Founder, Shazam Kianpour & Associates, P.C. — Over 10,000 criminal and traffic cases handled across Colorado.
