SALT LAKE CITY — Federal charges have been filed against three people for their involvement in attacking a U.S. Postal Service mail carrier in Salt Lake City.
Nathan Suaste, Exodus Matua and Lorenzo Saavedra face one count of Robbery of Property of the United States.
In August 2022, officials with USPS said a mail carrier was robbed and attacked in the area of 1375 South Concord Street.
Charging documents state the incident happened at a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints parking lot located at 1250 West 1400 South while the mail carrier was eating lunch in his postal vehicle.
The suspects, armed with handguns, attacked and robbed the mail carrier before fleeing from the scene, officials reported at the time of the incident.
They took an "arrow key" from the mail carrier, which is a universal key that is used to access "mail collection boxes, outdoor parcel lockers, cluster box units and apartment panels," court documents state.
After the suspects demanded the key, the mail carrier was "punched in the face by one or both individuals," documents report.
A few days after USPS offered a reward for information leading to the arrest of the suspects, someone tipped officials off that they knew of someone who might have robbed the mail carrier.
The tipster said Suaste had posted on social media about finding a mailman and key. Another person also reported that they had seen posts from Suaste about the key and mail carrier and Suaste had even shown people the key in his possession, documents state.
After investigating other social media conversations and records, officials took Matua into custody on October 19 and he was brought in for questioning.
Matua admitted to police he took part in the robbery in order to make money, documents state. He also identified himself in surveillance footage of the incident.
Matua told police that Suaste and Saavedra drove around looking for a mail carrier and assaulted the mail carrier before demanding the arrow key and threatening him with a gun.
After they robbed the mail carrier, Matua told police the trio drove back to Saavedra's residence.
The suspects have their first hearing on Friday afternoon in Federal Court.
