A Birmingham man has been sentenced to federal prison after he bought two specialized keys from a postal worker that he used to steal mail from outside drop boxes.

Derrell Allen Matthews, 27, bought two “Arrow Keys” for $3,000 each in a deal brokered over Facebook with a woman who worked at the Fairview Heights Station Post Office. At the time of his 2023 arrest, he was in possession of 17 pounds of stolen mail.

U.S. District Court Judge Anna Manasco sentenced Matthews to 63 months – more than five years – in prison, according to an announcement Monday by Northern District of Alabama U.S. Attorney Prim Escalona and U.S. Postal Inspector in Charge Scott Fix.

Matthews pleaded guilty in February to conspiracy, paying a bribe to a public official, possession of U.S. Postal Service keys – stolen or reproduced, bank fraud and possession of stolen mail.

Keaundria Janae Gresham, 30, of Pleasant Grove, was previously sentenced to one year in prison for conspiracy, public official accepting a bribe and possession of U.S. Postal Service keys, stolen, or reproduced.

Steven Cornelius Hudson, Jr, 34, of Bessemer, was previously sentenced to three years of probation for possession of stolen mail. According to Hudson’s plea agreement, Matthews paid him to drive him around.

Postal inspectors in northern Alabama last year investigated a series of mail thefts and postal carrier robberies. Birmingham, Homewood, Pelham, Hoover, and Vestavia were just a few of the cities that have experienced thefts.

Postal Inspector Montaleto Barber said in the criminal complaint that in the mail thefts, the suspects often used stolen or illegally obtained “Arrow Keys” to access U.S. Postal Service blue collection boxes to steal mail.

The keys are unique keys that are used only by the U.S. Postal Service and should never be outside of the possession of postal employees.

According to court documents, between August 2022 and April 2023, Matthews used stolen USPS keys to steal mail from several blue collection boxes in Hoover.

Matthews bought the keys from Gresham. Who was a letter carrier and was assigned to a U.S. Post Office in Birmingham. Authorities said she used her position to provide unauthorized USPS keys to Matthews.

In October 2023, Matthews was found in possession of a USPS key, stolen checks, counterfeit checks, blank checks, stock printers and more than 350 stolen, altered, or counterfeit checks totaling over $1 million dollars.

Between October 2021 and May 2023, Matthews deposited altered or counterfeit checks by ATM or mobile deposit into co-conspirator’s bank accounts.

Matthews took a portion of the deposited amount for himself and left a portion in the account or paid the person by other means.

In April 2023, postal inspectors and Shelby County Sheriff’s deputies observed Matthews open two blue collection boxes at the Meadowbrook Post Office. Matthews removed mail from the boxes and put it in the front seat of his vehicle.

Deputies conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle. The driver, Hudson, Jr. and the passenger, Matthews, were arrested.