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 Worker Pleads Guilty to Defrauding Dept. of Labor of $732,000 in Disability Payments

Date Released: 02/16/2022

Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that George Utley (56, Oklahoma City, OK) has pleaded guilty to receiving stolen government property (Department of Labor disability benefit payments). Utley faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. He has also agreed to a forfeiture money judgment of $732,459.46, representing the value of the stolen funds. A sentencing date has not yet been set. According to the plea agreement, Utley is a former mail handler for...

Orthopedic Surgeon Agrees to Pay Almost $343,000 to Settle False Claims Act Allegations

Date Released: 02/15/2022

Dr. Mark Stephen Wilson agreed to pay the United States $342,750 to resolve False Claims Act allegations that he accepted illegal kickback payments from Brookhaven Specialty Pharmacy LLC, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. Wilson is an orthopedic surgeon in Tulsa and Oklahoma City and focuses on pain management and rehabilitation. From February 2014 through September 2016, Wilson was alleged to have knowingly accepted significant payments from Brookhaven Specialty Pharmacy LLC in exchange...

Essex County Man Sentenced for Conspiring to Steal Mail and Commit Bank Fraud

Date Released: 02/14/2022

NEWARK, N.J. – An Essex County, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to 48 months in prison for his role in a conspiracy to steal check books and credit cards from the mail, deposit fraudulent checks, including pandemic relief checks, and use stolen credit cards without authorization, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced. Jeffrey Bennett, 27, of Irvington, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty by videoconference before U.S. District Judge Susan D. Wigenton to an information charging him...

Former Executive Convicted of Rigging Bids and Defrauding North Carolina Dept. of Transportation

Date Released: 02/01/2022

A former executive of Contech Engineered Solutions LLC was convicted today in New Bern, North Carolina, for his participation in bid-rigging and fraud schemes targeting the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT). Following a week-long trial in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina, a jury convicted Brent Brewbaker, a former Contech executive, for participating in conspiracies to rig bids and submit false certifications of non-collusion for more than 300...

Former U.S. Postal Service Employee Admits Stealing Gift Cards from Mail

Date Released: 01/26/2022

MISSOULA — A Missoula man today admitted to a charge accusing him of stealing and cashing gift cards from a birthday card while he worked for the U.S. Postal Service, U.S. Attorney Leif M. Johnson said. Lassana Diaby, 40, pleaded guilty to an indictment charging him with theft of mail by officer or employee. Diaby faces a maximum of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. In court documents, the government alleged that on March 26, 2021, a U.S. Postal Service...