KANSAS CITY, KAN. – The former postmaster of the Whiting, Kan., post office has been convicted on charges of embezzling government funds, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said today.
Terri L. Morris, 50, Holton,, Kan., was convicted in a jury trial on two counts of making a false writing and one count of embezzling public funds.
During trial, prosecutors presented evidence that the crimes took place while Morris was postmaster in Whiting, a town of about 200 in Jackson County, Kan. In 2010, investigators with the U.S. Postal Service made an unannounced visit to the Whiting Post Office and conducted an audit that showed a shortage of more than $7,000. Morris took the money and filed fraudulent statements to the Postal Service to cover up the thefts.
Sentencing is set for Aug. 24. She faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on each count of making a false writing, and a maximum penalty of 10 years and a fine up to $250,000 on the embezzlement count. Grissom commended the U.S. Postal Service, Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Kenney and Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Hathaway for their work on the case.
Union decries plan
“This is a bad plan,” said Sally Davidow, spokeswoman for the American Postal Workers Union. “It’s essentially the same plan the Postal Service released some months ago. And the only difference appears to be that the [implementation timeline] is a little bit more spread out”, we are currently negotiating the VERA/ Incentives within the jurisdiction of the Collective Bargaining Agreement.
The National Postal Mail Handlers Union is working with the Postal Service on terms of possible early-retirement incentives.
“We intend to work closely with those locals affected by the August closings and consolidations,” said NPMHU president John Hegarty. “And, as always, it will be imperative that we enforce the contract to ensure that all mail-handler rights are protected.”
it starts off at with a 20 spot nothing happens. then a late notice and no money in the bank. then a big vehicle maintenance bill and then an unexpected financial disaster (bail money) and before you know it you don’t have enough to put back what you took. happens everyday of the year somewhere not just the post it’s just that we have a magazine to let us know how many holier than thou crook managers put in charge of us who have such low morals they can’t keep their hands out of the cookie jar.