New Jersey man guilty of mail robbery and theft

On By Karl

PORTLAND — A New Jersey man pleaded guilty in federal court Tuesday to charges related to the robbery of two U.S. mail carriers and the burglary of two U.S. post offices in central Maine.

Lance Funderburk, 31, of Orange, New Jersey, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to four felonies, including two counts of robbery of a U.S. mail carrier, each punishable by up to 25 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 per person.

He also pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy to rob U.S. mail carriers and burglary of U.S. post offices and burglary of a U.S. post office.

Each of these crimes carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.

Prosecutors agreed that Funderburk should be allowed to appeal any sentence for 105 months.

He may be required to pay approximately $2,000 in damages for damage to two post offices, $1,074 for a laptop stolen from one of the post offices, and $1,740 for stolen checks cashed by Funderburk and the co-defendant.

Investigators said Funderburk and his accomplice, Winston O. McLeod, 31, of Auburn, robbed two letter carriers in Lewiston in January and burglarized post offices in Paris and North Monmouth.

McLeod pleaded guilty to the same charges As Funderburk, plus an additional case of theft of a US post office.

His sentencing was not planned.

Funderburk was arrested in Rumford on Jan. 22 in connection with the alleged burglaries and robberies.

On Jan. 20, postal inspectors were notified of an armed robbery of two mail carriers within minutes of each other in Lewiston, according to an affidavit included in court documents.

Neither carrier was injured.

The first robbery occurred at 20 Davis St.; the second at 480 Main St., according to the affidavit.

Both carriers were threatened with knives.

The robbers allegedly demanded the keys from the movers.

Later, during a search of the vehicle, police seized numerous checks written to different recipients; The evidence is believed to be related to burglaries and robberies.

According to testimony, entry into the Paris Post Office was through a window, where investigators found two mobile phones in the snow.

One of the phone’s lock screens had a picture of a man and a woman. Using facial recognition software, analysts were able to identify the man in the image as McLeod.

During a subsequent search of a vehicle where Funderburk was hiding, police found evidence linking him to the crimes, including work gloves; lighters; Vaseline; various keys, including those stolen in robberies; a keychain; a black multi-tool; $1,005 cash; a black matte butterfly knife; and four cell phones, according to the affidavit.

Funderburk was called to the Rumford Police Department where he was arrested and later charged.

During a search of Funderburk, officers found two postal keys, according to the affidavit.