A former U.S. Postal Service employee was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to 14 months in prison for stealing electronic devices from mail shipments and directing others to sell the stolen devices at pawn shops and on online marketplaces. JAMIE GUHLKE, 56, of Federal Way, Washington was indicted for theft of mail in April 2018 and pleaded guilty in November 2018. At the sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge James L. Robart said that GUHLKE’s crimes were a violation of her “position of trust” as a government employee.

“The majority of postal employees are hard-working public servants dedicated to moving mail to its proper destination,” U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, Western Area Field Office Special Agent-in-Charge John D. Masters said. “Unfortunately, Ms. Gulhke decided to betray the public’s trust and steal mail from postal customers. Today’s sentence demonstrates that USPS OIG Special Agents and the U.S. Attorney’s Office are committed to safeguarding U.S. Mail and to hold accountable any Postal Service employee who steals mail.”

The case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Service - Office of Inspector General (USPS-OIG) and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Siddharth Velamoor.