Lima men who robbed postal employee in 2023 sentenced to prison

TOLEDO, OH (WLIO) – Three Lima men were sentenced in federal court for robbing a postal carrier in 2023.

Ahmir Curtis, 24, Zenesto Martin Jr., 26, and Christian Proby, 26, were sentenced in Toledo Federal Court on charges related to a robbery in which they took keys that unlock postal service bags, drawers, and mailboxes. 

Curtis was sentenced to two years in prison. Martin received two and a half years in prison, and Proby was sentenced to one year. The men threatened a postal employee with violence to get the keys. As a result of this robbery, mail was stolen on several occasions. The crime was investigated by  USPS postal investigators, the FBI, and the Lima Police Department.

Media release from the U.S. Attorney for Northern Ohio District

TOLEDO, Ohio– Three Lima, Ohio, men who robbed a federal worker while serving on official duty as a postal carrier have been sentenced to prison by U.S. District Court Judge James R. Knepp.

According to the indictment, the robbery occurred on Nov. 30, 2023, while a United States Postal Service letter carrier was on a routine delivery route in Lima. Specially suited keys which unlock postal service bags, drawers, and other authorized receptacles for the deposit of mail were stolen under threat of force and violence to the postal carrier. As a result of this robbery, U.S. mail was stolen on several occasions.

The following sentences were imposed June 20, 2025:

• Ahmir Curtis, 24, was sentenced to 24 months in prison after pleading guilty to robbery of mail, money, or other property of the United States, stealing keys adopted by the post office, and theft of mail. He was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release, and pay $650 in restitution for damage to federal property.

• Zenesto Martin, Jr., 26, was sentenced to 30 months in prison after pleading guilty to robbery of mail, money, or other property of the United States, stealing keys adopted by the post office, and theft of mail. He was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release.

• Christian Proby, 26, was sentenced to 12 months and one day in prison after pleading guilty to robbery of mail, money, or other property of the United States and stealing keys adopted by the post office. He was also ordered to serve two years of supervised release.

The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Safe Streets Task Force, and the Lima Police Department.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Frank H. Spryszak for the Northern District of Ohio.

The USPIS is the federal agency with jurisdiction for investigating crimes against postal carriers and crimes involving the U.S. Mail. Anyone having information about blue collection box thefts, or thefts or attempted thefts of mail carriers or mail, should contact USPIS at 1-877-876-2455. All information will be kept confidential.

About the Northern District of Ohio

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio covers the 40 northern-most counties in the state of Ohio, which is home to nearly six million people. The office operates from its main headquarters in Cleveland, with additional branches in Akron, Toledo, and Youngstown. The U.S. Attorney serves as the chief federal law enforcement officer in the District and oversees the prosecution of federal crimes and protects victims’ rights.