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Investigative Press Release
Apr
17
2020

Former Postal Employee Sentenced for Mail Theft

ALBANY, NEW YORK – John R. Elbayeh, aka Jean Elbayeh, age 44, of Albany, was sentenced today to time served (about six months in jail), to be followed by two years of supervised release, for stealing Apple iPhones, gold coins, small gold bars and other valuable items from mailed packages while employed as a postal clerk.

The announcement was made by United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith and Matthew Modafferi, Special Agent in Charge of the Northeast Area for the United States Postal Service (USPS), Office of the Inspector General (OIG).

Elbayeh worked as a lead mail processing clerk at the USPS Processing and Distribution Center in Albany, from December 2012 through December 2018. He admitted that for approximately two years ending in December 2018, he stole valuable items from the mail, including iPhones and gold coins, which he pawned for a total of $50,362.22.

This case was investigated by the USPS, Office of the Inspector General, with assistance from the United States Postal Inspection Service, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Barnett.