Former Postal Employee Sentenced for Embezzlement of Mail Matter
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Yvonne Wilson, age 37, of Kenner, Louisiana, was sentenced yesterday after previously pleading guilty to embezzlement of mail matter by a postal service employee, announced U. S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
U.S. District Judge Eldon E. Fallon sentenced WILSON to three (3) years’ probation and ordered her to pay restitution in the amount of $1,402.99.
According to court documents, the U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General (USPS-OIG) received information regarding complaints of theft of mail. After further investigation, it was determined that Yvonne Wilson (Wilson), a U.S. Postal Service City Carrier Assistant during this relevant time period, was the postal service employee who might have been involved in the thefts.
On July 14, 2016, a USPS-OIG agent prepared two decoy letters, one being a first-class letter addressed to W.P. in Metairie, Louisiana, containing cash in the amount of $115.00, and another first class letter addressed to M.H. in Metairie, Louisiana, containing cash in the amount of $100.00. The agent placed them in the mail stream at the Metairie Main Post Office located at 3301 17th Street, Metairie, Louisiana. Both letters were to be handled and delivered by Wilson as the letters were on her assigned route. USPS-OIG agents maintained surveillance of Wilson as she serviced her assigned route. After they determined that Wilson had opened the decoy letters, the agents approached her, identified themselves, and explained why they had approached her. They also observed a plastic WalMart bag in her postal vehicle containing the two open decoy letters. Wilson admitted that she had opened the decoy letters, took the cash from the letters, and placed the $215.00 cash in her wallet.
The case was investigated by the United States Postal Service- Office of Inspector General, and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Loan AMimi@ Nguyen.