NewsChannel 5.com - Nashville, Tennessee - Postal Carrier Charged For Stealing Mail

Postal Carrier Charged For Stealing Mail

Greenville, Tenn. - United States Postal service employee Phyllis Greene entered a plea of guilty today to one count information in which she was charged with secreting, detaining and delaying United States mail entrusted to her for delivery on her assigned rural delivery route.

United States Attorney James R. Dedrick stated that over 10,700 pieces of mail, including approximately 5,800 first class letter pieces were recovered and subsequently delivered to over 250 postal customers in Sullivan Count, Tenn. Greene was charged in one-count information with a violation of 18 United States Code Sections 1703(a), delay or destruction of mail or newspaper by a Postal Service officer or employee. A violation of this statue could result in a maximum sentence of five years incarceration, a maximum fine of $250,000 and up to three years of supervised release. Restitution will be determined by the court.

Greene was assigned to deliver mail on route 22 in Kingsport, Sullivan County in the Eastern District of Tennessee from late 2004 to late 2006. Greene had rented unit C-10 at American Storage Center in Kingsport continuously from Nov. 1, 2005, to the present. On Feb. 21, 2007, a manager at American Storage Center discovered that rental unit C-10 was partially open. For security reasons, the manager looked inside the unit, and observed multiple bags and bins marked "United States Postal Service" as well as loose pieces of what we obviously undelivered mail.

Special agents from the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General removed the mail from Unit C-10. Based on the postmark dates and addresses on the mail found in the storage unit, Greene would have been given that mail for delivery as part of her duties as a rural carrier for the United States Postal Service.

Greene also rented storage unit B-44 at Brookside Mini-Storage in Kingsport from June 27, 2004 to the present. Greene consented to a search of that unit on March 1, 2007. Again, a large amount of mail entrusted to Greene for delivery to the Kingsport area was located.

In total, over 10,700 pieces of mail, including approximately 5,800 First Class letter pieces, were recovered and subsequently delivered to the intended recipients by the Kingsport Post Office. Additional quantities of mail were destroyed by Phyllis Greene by placing it in garbage bags and leaving it for pickup. More than 250 postal customers were the victims of Greene's actions in secreting or destroying their mail.