May 14th 2024.
A woman from Rochester, New York has recently been sentenced to two years of probation for stealing items from the mail that she was responsible for delivering as a mail carrier. The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of New York made this announcement, stating that 40-year-old Marlene Cruz was found guilty of theft of mail matter by an officer or employee. As a result, she was ordered to serve two years of probation by U.S. District Judge Charles J. Siragusa. Despite facing a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine, Cruz managed to avoid jail time by pleading guilty in January.
It all started in January 2022 when the U.S. Postal Service received complaints from local residents about their mail being tampered with in late 2021. After conducting a thorough investigation, it was revealed that Cruz was the mail carrier on the route of the affected individuals. Further investigation showed that she had been regularly opening envelopes and packages between January 2022 and November 2023. In these instances, Cruz would take various items such as ticket stubs, documents, cash, lottery tickets, and gift cards. This happened on numerous occasions, causing concern among the authorities.
When her misdeeds were uncovered, investigators decided to conduct mail integrity tests. They placed cash and gift cards inside greeting cards and sent them to be delivered by Cruz in May and November 2023. After her shift ended on November 2nd, 2023, investigators brought Cruz in and executed a warrant for her and her personal belongings. During their search, they discovered a gift card that had been planted in one of the mail integrity test greeting cards inside her duffle bag.
According to the Miami Herald, affidavits showed that Cruz had been seen going through 90 pieces of mail on 38 separate occasions. Prosecutors stated that she would open the envelopes, tear them up, and either throw them out of her vehicle or reseal and deliver them. As a result of her actions, she pleaded guilty to theft of mail matter by an officer or employee in front of Siragusa in January.
In other news, the USPS is currently hosting a job fair to fill hundreds of open positions in the San Francisco Bay Area. This move is aimed at improving their services and filling the gaps left by individuals like Cruz. It is important for the community to have reliable and trustworthy mail carriers, and the USPS is taking necessary steps to ensure just that.
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