In a significant development affecting the Hampton Roads community, three local men have been arrested and charged with a series of federal offenses, highlighting a concerning trend of postal carrier robberies and financial fraud in the region. Ricky Damion Christopher Jones, Jr., 20, of Virginia Beach; Samir As-sad Hurd, 23, of Chesapeake; and Manray Perry, 22, also of Virginia Beach, face multiple charges, including conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery, assault of a federal employee with a dangerous weapon, and conspiracy to commit bank fraud.
The charges stem from a series of planned and executed armed robberies targeting U.S. Postal Service mail carriers, specifically aiming to steal their USPS-issued “arrow” keys, in Norfolk, Hampton, and James City County. The crimes, which spanned from April to July 2023, involved the suspects and other co-conspirators, who have also faced legal actions in relation to these incidents.
Da’Twan Watson, Jayden Stukes, and O’Sirus Ford, implicated as co-conspirators in this case, have pleaded guilty to their respective charges and await sentencing. This string of robberies has not only raised concerns about the safety of postal workers but also about the security of mail and potential for related financial fraud within the community.
This case is under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Jessica D. Aber, and has been investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, with assistance from local police departments in Newport News, Hampton, Williamsburg-James City County, and Virginia Beach.