ICE Places Immigration Holds On 3 After Minden Mailbox 'Rat-Trap' Theft Bust; 147 Checks Seized

ICE placed immigration holds on three California residents booked into the Minden Jail after deputies found a handgun, suspected meth and cocaine, and evidence of large-scale mail theft. Investigators seized a glue-type ‘rat-trap’ device used to pull mail from USPS boxes, plus 147 checks totaling $149,857.73, with 15 altered to one suspect. Mail appears tied to victims across Washoe, Lyon, Carson City and nearby California communities. The arrests mirror another 2025 case using the same mailbox-theft method.