EAST ST. LOUIS — Two women from the Metro East were sentenced to federal prison for their roles in a scheme involving mail theft and more than $100,000 in bank fraud, authorities announced Wednesday. Tylann J. Starks, 30, of Swansea, received a four-year prison sentence after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud, multiple counts of bank fraud, aggravated identity theft, and conspiracy to steal U.S. mail. Tiara D. Johnson, 33, of Pontoon Beach, was sentenced to 27 months in prison following her guilty pleas to conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank fraud, and conspiracy to steal U.S. mail. The two women, along with co-defendant Jamil Jackson, 52, allegedly stole mail from U.S. Postal Service collection boxes in the Metro East area between February 2020 and February 2023. Starks purchased a specialized postal key, known as an arrow key, from Jackson, a former postal employee, to gain access to the collection boxes. Agents later conducted an undercover purchase of
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