2 Postmasters, 1 Letter Carrier charged with theft
“Three area U.S. Postal Service employees, including two village postmasters and a former letter carrier from Toledo, have been charged in unrelated cases in U.S. District Court in Toledo with violating federal postal laws.” see more info from Toledo (Ohio)Blade
Press Release from the United States Attorney Northern District of Ohio
Criminal charges were filed against three employees of the U.S. Postal Service for their alleged actions in unrelated cases, said Steven M. Dettelbach, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.
A criminal information was filed against Lynda Mackey, age 24, of Fremont, Ohio. The charge relates to embezzlement of postal funds by a postal employee between on or about November, 2010 and April, 2011.
Eric R. Ramsey, age 27, of Toledo, Ohio was charged with theft of mail by a postal employee on or about January 18, 2011.
Marsha Ann Deitemyer, age 54, of Elmore, Ohio, was charged with obstruction of U.S. mail between on or about August 31, 2010 and April 29, 2011.
If convicted, defendants’ sentences will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to each case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.
The investigating agency in these cases is the Office of Inspector General, United States Postal Service. The cases are being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Thomas O. Secor.
An information is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The burden of proof is always on the government to prove a defendant guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Arizona Postal Worker indicted for forging money orders stolen from customers’ mail
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona announced that a federal grand jury in Tucson returned a 12-count indictment against former Postal Service Officer Anna Cecilia Miranda for passing forged and altered U.S. Postal Service money orders after knowingly and unlawfully stealing those money orders from Pirtleville, Ariz., Post Office customers. Read more
Maryland Postal Worker Sentenced To Prison For Theft of Mail
Baltimore, Maryland – (August 30, 2011) U.S. District Judge Catherine C. Blake, sentenced James M. Russell, age 49, of Brandywine, Maryland, today to six months in prison, followed by six months of home detention and two years of supervised release, for theft of mail while he was employed by the U.S. Postal Service. Judge Blake also ordered Russell to perform 100 hours of community service. Read more
New Mexico USPS Window Clerk Gets Prison For Embezzling Over $80,000
Filed under: postal, postal news, press releases, usdoj, window clerks
ALBUQUERQUE (August 18, 2011) – This afternoon, a United States District Judge sentenced Yolanda Vallejos, a 48-year-old resident of Albuquerque, to a two-month term of imprisonment to be followed by three years of supervised release for her conviction for theft of federal government property. Vallejos also was ordered to pay $97,025.44 in restitution to the United States Postal Service (USPS), the victim of Vallejo’s’ criminal conduct. Vallejos is required to surrender to a federal correctional institution to be designated by the U.S. Bureau of Prisons within 60 days. Read more
Michigan Postal worker surrenders allegations of stealing Vets drugs from mail
Flat Rock, Michigan
A former postal carrier voluntarily surrendered to police Friday morning on an arrest warrant for allegedly stealing prescription drug parcels from the mail.The carrier, 51, resigned from her job after an interview with agents in May, according to Scott Pierce, deputy special agent in charge of the U.S. Postal Service’s Office of Inspector General.Flat Rock police notified postal authorities after several customers complained of undelivered prescription medication that was expected from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.Postal authorities immediately began an investigation, according to Pierce. The woman provided a written and verbal confession to the investigators, he said.“She claimed to be experiencing specific health problems that required more pain medication than she was legally prescribed,” Pierce said.
full story from the News Herald
Former New Jersey APWU President Gets Probation For Tax Evasion
NEWARK, N.J. (AP) – A former president of a New Jersey postal workers union has been sentenced to five years’ probation, including a year of home confinement.
Gary Weightman of Keansburg pleaded guilty in December 2008 to two counts of tax evasion.
He was sentenced Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Newark. He was also ordered to pay $1,200 in fines and to cooperate with the IRS.
Weightman once headed Local 190 of the American Postal Workers International Union.
Prosecutors had originally charged Weightman along with John McGovern, the secretary-treasurer of the local, with conspiring to embezzle union funds.
McGovern was given a 20-month sentence in May and ordered to pay more than $780,000 in restitution.
Prosecutors dropped the remaining charges against Weightman after he pleaded guilty to the tax evasion counts.
————————————————
Also, as a further special condition of probation, Weightman was ordered to refrain from any employment or voluntary position in any trade union throughout the duration of Probation. Weightman must also participate in the Location Monitoring System.
Former Postal Employee Pleads Guilty To Misappropriating Over $78,000 In Money Orders
Used the Money Orders to Pay Bills or for Cash
Greenbelt, Maryland – Former U.S. Postal Service employee Lamonica Henderson, age 42, of Oxon Hill, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to misappropriation of postal funds in connection with a scheme to issue and convert to her own use over $78,000 in Postal Service money orders.
The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein and Special Agent in Charge Joanne Yarbrough of the U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General.
According to Postal Service OIG Special Agent in Charge Joanne Yarbrough, “Theft of postal funds is a serious crime. Most postal employees would never think of taking a dime from the Postal Service. But when an individual steals money from the Postal Service, OIG Special Agents work quickly to bring an end to the criminal activity. I appreciate the work and partnership of the United States Attorney’s office with these investigations.”
According to Henderson’s plea agreement, from September 2007 through May 2009, Henderson was employed as a Sales and Service Associate at the Lanham-Seabrook Post Office in Prince George’s County and had authority to issue money orders for legitimate Postal Service business. During the course of her employment with the Postal Service, Henderson fraudulently issued “no-fee” Postal Service money orders payable to herself, family members, companies who provided benefits to her, and other fictitious payees, that she converted for her own personal use, totaling at least $78,413.44. Henderson used the money to pay her bills, including her rent, or for cash and often issued money orders in the names of family members or other associates to conceal the fraud.
Henderson faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. U.S. District Judge Roger W. Titus, has scheduled sentencing for September 27, 2011 at 9:00 a.m.
United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General for its work in the investigation. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorney Christen A. Sproule, who is prosecuting the case.
source: United States Attorney’s Office, District of Maryland
Contract Truck Driver Pleads Guilty to Stealing Over $300,000 Via USPS Fuel Cards
June 7, 2011
CAMDEN, N.J. – A supervisor of truck drivers formerly employed by two related trucking companies in Ocean, N.J., admitted today to stealing over $300,000 from the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) through unauthorized use of fuel cards given to the companies in connection with a contract to haul U.S. mail, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.
Rufus Ward, 67, of Deptford, N.J., entered his guilty plea to one count of theft of government property before U.S. District Judge Joseph E. Irenas in Camden federal court.
According to the Information to which Ward pleaded guilty and statements made in court:
The USPS contracts with trucking companies for long haul delivery of mail, including with the two trucking companies that employed Ward. The USPS gave special fuel credit cards called “Voyager cards” to the companies, which its drivers were to use to buy fuel for trucks used to transport the mail. The USPS was billed directly for all charges incurred.
Ward admitted that from approximately April 2005 to February 2009, he used the cards to make numerous unauthorized purchases of fuel and cigarettes for his personal use. Ward used a number of cards issued to trucks he drove and to trucks operated by other drivers. In addition, Ward admitted that he allowed another employee, Vincenzo Bender, to use such cards for Bender’s personal gain after Bender approached him and told him that he knew what Ward was doing with the cards. In return, Ward received from Bender thousands of dollars in cash, goods, and services.
The theft of government property charge to which Ward pleaded guilty carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000, or twice the amount of loss caused by his offense. In addition, Ward agreed to pay restitution of $365,416. Judge Irenas allowed Ward to be released on a $100,000 bond until his sentencing, scheduled for September 13, 2011.
Bender pleaded guilty on March 11, 2011, to the same charge, and is scheduled to be sentenced on July 8, 2011.
U.S. Attorney Fishman credited special agents of the USPS, Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Elizabeth Farcht, Eastern Area Field Office, for the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Howard Wiener of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Camden.
source: US Attorney’s Office, District of New Jersey
Missouri Postmaster Convicted In $3.8 Million Bulk Mailings Fraud Scheme
Filed under: postal, postal news, Postmasters, press releases, usdoj
MISSOURI DIRECT MAILER & POSTAL EMPLOYEES PREVIOUSLY PLED GUILTY
June 6, 2011 – St. Louis, MO: The United States Attorney’s Office announced that Teresa Tremusini, Festus Postmaster, was convicted of two felony counts of Receipt of Illegal Gratuities. The owner of SG Print & Mail and two Postal employees previously entered guilty pleas in the $3.8 million scheme.
According to court documents and testimony presented at trial, Robert Scott Gray defrauded the U.S. Postal Service by falsely claiming stamps were used on bulk mailings and by concealing documentation of mailings from the Postal Service to avoid payment.
Teresa Tremusini became Postmaster of the Festus, Missouri, Post Office in December 2005. Robert Scott Gray was President and Owner of SG Print & Mail, Inc. Michael A. Jones was an employee of the U.S. Postal Service. Donna Beckman was an employee of SG Print & Mail from January 2005 to September 2007. Her duties included the preparation of the U.S. Postal Service paperwork that accompanied bulk mailings by SG Print & Mail.
SG Print & Mail provided direct mail services to clients. A client would contract with SG Print & Mail to perform a direct mailing, for example, 30,000 mail pieces. Typically, SG Print & Mail contracted with a printer to print the mail pieces. SG Print & Mail would then prepare the direct mailing by placing addresses on each mail piece and sorting the mail pieces by address/zip code for bulk mailing.
Between January 2005 and December 2006, Robert Scott Gray directed Donna Beckman to lie about the number of pre-canceled stamps that they used and to falsify the Postal forms describing how many they had used. Additionally, Gray paid Teresa Tremusini $20,000, payable in two cashier’s checks in August 2006, and in January 2007, and paid Michael Jones $10,000 cash. These payments were in return for the approval of bulk mail postal forms.
The loss to the U.S. Postal Service for these schemes total of approximately $3.8 million.
TERESA TREMUSINI, St. Louis, Missouri, was convicted on Friday, June 3, 2011, on two felony counts of receipt of illegal gratuities and is scheduled for sentencing August 26, 2011.
Robert Scott Gray, Fenton, Missouri, pled guilty in April to five felony counts of mail fraud, four felony counts of making false statements and three felony counts of giving an illegal gratuity. He is scheduled for sentencing July 13, 2011.
Michael A. Jones, Pacific, Missouri, pled guilty in March to one felony count of receipt of illegal gratuity, and will be sentenced on June 16, 2011. Donna Beckman pled guilty earlier this year to two felony counts of mail fraud and awaits sentencing on June 23, 2011.
Each count of mail fraud carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and/or fines up to $250,000. Each count of making false statements carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and/or fines up to $250,000. Each count of bribery carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison and/or fines up to $250,000. In determining the actual sentences, a Judge is required to consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, which provide recommended sentencing ranges.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the United States Postal Service-Office of Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorney Carrie Costantin is handling the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
source: U.S. attorney’s Office, Eastern District Of Missouri
Ohio Postal Employee indicted for mail theft
Press Release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Northern District Of Ohio
Rural Carrier Associate indicted for mail theft
June 2, 2011 – A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging Joni R. Smith, age 35, of Mogadore, Ohio, with theft of mail by a postal employee and unauthorized opening of mail by a postal employee, said Steven M. Dettelbach, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.
The indictment alleges that on February 23, 2011, Joni R. Smith, a Rural Carrier Associate assigned to the Rootstown Post Office, Rootstown, Ohio, opened and stole 63 first-class letters and their contents which had come into her possession to be conveyed by mail.
The indictment was presented to the grand jury by Assistant United States Attorney Gregory C. Sassé after investigation by the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General.
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after a review of factors unique to the case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense, and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
————————————————————————————————-
Part-Time Flexible Postal Clerk indicted for misappropriation of funds
June 2, 2011 – A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging Carey Burlinski, age 47 of Chesterland, Ohio, with making false entries in postal records by a postal employee and misappropriation of funds by a postal employee, Steven M. Dettelbach, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, announced today.
The indictment alleges that on February 23, 2011, Carey Burlinski, a part time flexible clerk at the Chagrin Falls Post Office, Chagrin Falls, Ohio, converted postal funds to his own use and made false record entries relating to his window stamp sale transactions.
The indictment was presented to the grand jury by Assistant United States Attorney Gregory C. Sassé after investigation by the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General.
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after a review of factors unique to the case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense, and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.