5th Cir. Pattern Jury Instr. (Criminal) 2.70A

18 U.S.C. § 1708 (FIRST PARAGRAPH)

Title 18, United States Code, Section 1708, makes it a crime to steal any letter, postal card,

package, bag, or mail from a United States mailbox [post office] [mail or post office station] [letter

box] [mail receptacle] [mail route] [authorized depository for mail matter] [letter or mail carrier].

For you to find the defendant guilty of this crime, you must be convinced that the

government has proved each of the following beyond a reasonable doubt:

First: That the letter described in the indictment was in the mail [post office] [mail or post

office station] [letter box] [mail receptacle] [mail route] [authorized depository for mail matter],

as described in the indictment; and

Second: That the defendant stole the letter from the mail [post office] [mail or post office

station] [letter box] [mail receptacle] [mail route] [authorized depository for mail matter], as

described in the indictment.

Mail matter is “stolen” when it has been wrongfully taken from an authorized depository

for mail matter with intent to deprive the owner, temporarily or permanently, of its use and benefit.

That intent must exist at the time the mail matter is taken from the mail.