Porch pirate gets prison sentence for stealing mail

Apr. 19—A convicted porch pirate is off to prison for stealing mail during a one-day spree back in November.

Dylan M. Mattingly, 30, of Norman, recently pleaded guilty to 17 misdemeanor counts of porch piracy and one felony count of impersonating another to avoid prosecution.

Cleveland County prosecutors alleged Mattingly took mail from 17 different Norman residences Nov. 7.

District Judge Thad Balkman sentenced Mattingly to one year for each count. The sentences will be served concurrently. The judge also imposed fines and costs, despite a request by Mattingly's attorney to waive them.

"You do not deserve any leniency or reduction in court fines and costs because you have caused so many people so much grief," Balkman told the defendant. "There are a lot of kids, parents and seniors whose birthdays and other special occasions were ruined because of your selfishness and greed.

"Porch piracy is a low thing to do and I hope while you serve your sentence you will think about the harm you have caused so many people."

Mattingly also pleaded guilty in two other felony cases and was sentenced to 12 years in prison for trafficking methamphetamine. He also received a 10-year sentence for forgery.

On Nov. 7, Norman police were dispatched to an area in the 800 block of Tioga Circle in reference to a blue SUV driving around and stealing mail out of mailboxes, according to a court affidavit.

Police stopped the vehicle and asked the driver and passenger for identification.

"The driver handed me a driver's license that wasn't him," an officer reported in the affidavit.

Mattingly represented himself to be another person whose mail was stolen the same day, according to court documents.

Both were in possession "of stolen mail from the neighborhood that didn't belong to them," the officer stated.