We’ve all heard stories of drug addicts stealing from friends and family to support their addiction. However, this is a case of one postal worker stealing from his customers to support his fentanyl addiction.

In January 2022, we received a hotline tip that six cash vault packages for Verizon were missing. The tracking numbers to the Verizon Priority Mail parcels the deposits were in corresponded to a former city carrier’s route in Live Oak, Florida.

The investigation was on.

During their investigation, USPS OIG agents determined the carrier rifled through the Verizon deposits, opening customers’ mail, and buying and using illegal drugs while handling mail.

The Interview

OIG agents interviewed the employee in March 2022, when he admitted to stealing the Verizon deposits, which totaled about $23,000. He also admitted to stealing cash from his customers on his delivery route and using the stolen funds to purchase drugs.

The Search

When they searched his vehicle, OIG agents recovered about 409 pieces of undelivered mail, which contained about $3,800, mostly from stolen greeting cards. The agents also seized a mixture of pills the subject thought were oxycodone pills. Subsequent laboratory tests revealed the pills were counterfeit and actually contained fentanyl. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, fentanyl is a pain reliever that is typically prescribed to cancer patients. And now, in many states, the illegal manufacturing and distribution of the drug is on the rise and so are overdose deaths. When not monitored by a licensed physician, drugs such as fentanyl and oxycodone can be very dangerous. A lesson that drugs purchased off the street can be deadly.

The Arrest

The investigation determined that between October 2021 and March 2022, the employee stole nearly 20 Priority Mail parcels with Verizon deposits that were intended for the bank.

The Sentence

In June 2022, the subject was removed from the Postal Service and arrested six days later. That August, he pleaded guilty and in December was sentenced to five years’ probation and ordered to make restitution to the victims in the amount of more than $26,000.

If you suspect or know of fraud or other crimes involving Postal Service contractors or employees, please report it to our Hotline. And if you or someone you know is suffering from a substance use disorder, there are resources that can help, such as FindTreatment.gov.

For further reading:

Department of Justice (via uspsoig.gov), Live Oak Postal Carrier Pleads Guilty To Stealing Verizon Wireless Cash Deposits