Mail carrier stole sports trading cards valued at almost $40K in Missouri, feds say

A Kevin Durant basketball card valued at $1,925 went missing after it was shipped to a customer in Kansas City, Missouri, sparking a federal investigation into a Missouri mail carrier, officials say.

The customer also provided the U.S. Postal Service tracking and serial numbers for other “valuable sports trading cards that had been placed in the mail and were missing,” according to court records.

After the USPS Office of Inspector General received and acted on that June 2021 report, officials learned mail carrier Paul O. Robinson, of Richmond, started stealing mail in April of that year, records show.

Robinson, 26, pleaded guilty to one count of mail theft in the Western District of Missouri on Thursday, March 3, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

The defense attorney representing Robinson did not immediately respond to a request for comment from McClatchy News on March 4.

In his signed guilty plea, Robinson admitted that the accusations were true.

Authorities say special agents found four of the missing trading cards at a sports memorabilia shop in Gladstone, Missouri, about 38 miles southwest of Robinson’s hometown.

A review of the store’s surveillance video led to footage that captures Robinson trying to sell the cards while in his USPS uniform on June 12, court records show. The customer who was supposed to receive the Durant trading card confirmed the man selling the cards was also his mail carrier.

While interviewing Robinson at his home in July, officials say he admitted to stealing the cards and also “delaying the mail, taking mail home in his car, and destroying mail.” Agents searched his home and car, where they found about 440 pieces of mixed-class mail and one more trading card, according to court records.

In August, one more sports trading card was found at the Gladstone shop and 11 other cards were found at a sports cards store in Liberty, Missouri, records show.

In total, Robinson is accused of stealing 94 cards worth about $39,994, according to the news release.

The now former mail carrier faces up to five years in federal prison without opportunity for parole, officials say. His sentencing hearing had not been scheduled as of March 3.

This story was originally published March 4, 2022 at 10:50 AM with the headline "Mail carrier stole sports trading cards valued at almost $40K in Missouri, feds say."