Show-Me State Times

ST. LOUIS – Two men, Christopher Ali Pate and Eryk Campbell, have admitted to stealing mail from mailboxes in Chesterfield, Missouri. Pate, 31, pleaded guilty to one felony count of mail theft in U.S. District Court in St. Louis, while Campbell, 28, also pleaded guilty to the same count on February 20. Both men confessed to the crime of stealing mail from multiple mailboxes in Chesterfield on August 28, 2023, with Pate being the orchestrator of the theft.

Following the theft, Pate and Campbell were involved in a dramatic escape. They drove to a gas station in St. Louis, and upon the arrival of a police vehicle, the two fled the scene, refusing to stop for the authorities. During their escape, they discarded the stolen mail out of their vehicle.

Pate is set to be sentenced on June 27, while Campbell's sentencing is scheduled for May 21. The charge of mail theft carries a potential penalty of up to five years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service conducted the investigation into the case, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Cort VanOstran handling the prosecution.