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Zachkey James, 27, is charged with impersonation, mail theft, and related counts that could earn him up to 31 years in prison and $1.5 million in fines, said US Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero in a statement Thursday, Dec. 8.
Investigators allege that James disguised himself as a mailman and gained access to west Philly postal collection boxes at least twice — once at the Kingsessing Post Office in July, and again at the East Germantown Post Office in October.
In November, federal authorities said they found "approximately 15 mail-in ballots that had been stolen from USPS collection boxes" in James' possession. Prosecutors did not say where the ballots may have been stolen from.
The Philadelphia City Commissioners — the elected, bipartisan board of three officials who run the city's elections — were not immediately available for comment on the stolen ballots.
Federal agents also found in James' possession three arrow keys, the specially-designed universal key for postal collection boxes, Romero said.
It was not clear if James remained in federal custody as of Thursday afternoon.
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