SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, Oct. 28, 2022 (Gephardt Daily) — Three young men have been charged on suspicion of robbing a U.S. Postal Service letter carrier in Salt Lake City.
Charged in the federal case are Nathan Suaste, 19, of West Valley City, and Exodus Matua and Lorenzo Saavedra, both 18 and from Saratoga Springs.
The three have been charged with robbery of property of the United States, using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, and theft of a USPS arrow key, according to a statement from the the Department of Justice, United States Attorney Trina A. Higgins, District of Utah.
“According to the allegations contained in the complaint and law enforcement affidavit, on or about August 19, 2022, Matua and Saavedra, both armed with handguns, approached a USPS letter carrier in the parking lot of a church in Salt Lake City,” the statement says.
“The two, while brandishing the handguns, demanded that the letter carrier hand over his arrow key, a universal key used by USPS employees who deliver and pick up mail from locked mail collection boxes, outdoor
parcel lockers, cluster box units, and apartment panels. While detaching the key, the letter carrier was punched in the face by at least one of the defendants.”
After taking the key, Matua and Saavedra ran to a Dodge Charger driven by Suaste and the three defendants left the area, the statement says.
Assistant United States Attorney Mark Hirata from the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.
The case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service with assistance from the ATF, the Saratoga Springs Police Department, the Salt Lake City Police Department, and the Utah County Major Crimes, the statement says.
