Columbus, Ohio – A 21-year-old man from Ohio will spend two decades in federal prison after playing a central role in a violent scheme targeting postal workers. Cameron D. Newton of Westerville was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 240 months and one day in prison for his involvement in four armed robberies against postal carriers.
According to court documents, between December 2022 and May 2023, Newton acted as a key planner and abettor in the robberies. Prosecutors stated he assisted in stealing mail and participated in crimes involving firearms during violent attacks on federal postal employees.
Planning and Executing Armed Robberies
Despite being on probation and wearing a GPS ankle monitor, Newton did not hesitate to organize criminal acts. On December 22, 2022, he recruited two juveniles to help him carry out an armed robbery in German Village. He also arranged for the handgun that his co-conspirator used during the crime.
In January 2023, Newton’s involvement escalated. On January 23, he provided surveillance for not one but two armed postal robberies. During the first robbery on East Columbus Street, Newton parked nearby and pretended to make DoorDash deliveries to avoid suspicion, since he was still under home confinement. Later the same day, he again acted as a lookout during another robbery and took steps to help sell the stolen postal keys.
In another incident on May 11, 2023, Newton obtained a firearm for his co-conspirator and arranged logistics for robbing an elderly female postal worker. After the robbery, Newton picked up the accomplices near Goodale Park and paid them several hundred dollars using CashApp.
Investigation Uncovers Stolen Mail and Weapons
On May 18, 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Newton’s residence. They uncovered alarming evidence: $22,000 in cash, hundreds of washed and altered checks and money orders worth over $590,000, two postal keys, and hundreds of pieces of stolen mail.
Authorities said Newton’s actions were part of a larger string of robberies that terrorized postal workers in Central Ohio. In total, six defendants have been charged in connection with six separate armed robberies of postal carriers.
“Newton and his accomplices terrorized postal workers in an effort to steal their keys and loot mailboxes,” stated FBI Cincinnati Special Agent in Charge Elena Iatarola. She added, “Through the hard work of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, local police, and the FBI, we were able to arrest those responsible for these violent crimes and ensure they are held accountable.”
