Investigative News Releases

Working with our Law Enforcement Partners

Our special agents investigate nationwide internal crimes and fraud committed by postal employees and contractors as well as postal employee misconduct. We work with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and local prosecutors across the country to prosecute these crimes.

In some instances, we uncover much larger criminal activity being carried out by multiple individuals and organizations. In many of these cases, we partner with other federal and local law enforcement agencies to identify and hold responsible those who take advantage of the public’s trust in our postal system.

Below are links to the most recent news releases about our work.

Former Postal Employee Pleads Guilty to Mail Theft at Loranger Post Office

Date Released: 10/05/2021

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans, announced that HAROLD SAINTES, JR. age 52, of Franklin, Louisiana pled guilty as charged to a one count Bill of Information for Theft of Mail, before United States District Court Judge Jay C. Zainey today. In papers filed with the court and signed by defendant SAINTES, he admitted to taking mis-sent parcels in the amount of $380.00 from the Loranger Post Office from September 1, 2019 through October 19, 2019. U.S. Attorney Evans...

Operation Second Wave Update: Final Five Defendants in Major Federal Drug Conspiracy Sentenced

Date Released: 09/08/2021

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Five defendants charged as a result of a long-term investigation known as “Second Wave” were sentenced this week in federal court for their roles in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and marijuana. Roger Jarea Drake, 32, of Charleston, and Craig Edward Redman, 42, of Kimberly, were sentenced to 151 and 46 months in prison, respectively, for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Tonya Nicole Simerly, 36, of Montgomery, was sentenced to 24 months in prison for...

Former Postal Worker Sentenced for Stealing Mail

Date Released: 09/03/2021

BOSTON – A former U.S. Postal Service (USPS) employee was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for stealing mail, including almost $5,000 in stimulus payments, and making over $16,000 in fraudulent purchases and ATM withdrawals. Angela Gomez, 40, of Lynn, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper to three months in prison and three years of supervised release. On May 11, 2021, Gomez pleaded guilty to one count of theft of mail by an employee. As part of the plea...

Former Postal Employee Sentenced for Theft of Money Orders

Date Released: 08/26/2021

BANGOR, Maine: A Penobscot County woman was sentenced today in federal court for the theft and conversion of money orders, Acting U.S. Attorney Donald E. Clark announced. U.S. District Judge Lance E. Walker sentenced Mellony Hafford, 37, to three years of probation. Hafford was also ordered to pay $4,177 in restitution to the U.S. Postal Service. She pleaded guilty in April 2021. The U.S. Postal Service Office of the Inspector General and the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax...

Two Plead Guilty in Federal Court to Bank and Mail Fraud Conspiracy and Related Charges

Date Released: 08/25/2021

Baltimore, Maryland – Two Nigerian nationals, Johnson B. Ogunlana, age 25, of Edgewood, Maryland, and Samson A. Oguntuyi, age 29, of Atlanta, Georgia, pleaded guilty on the eve of trial to federal charges related to schemes to defraud financial institutions, retail establishments and other business victims, often using the stolen personal information of individual victims. Specifically, Ogunlana pleaded guilty on August 23, 2021 to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and mail fraud, access device...