USPS employee sentenced to prison after stealing $24 million worth of checks
A former U.S. Postal Service (USPS) employee has been sentenced to prison for her role in a scheme to steal checks worth over $24 million, according to the Department of Justice.
Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina, announced the sentencing in a Feb. 7 press release. Last week, Charlotte residents Nakedra Shannon, 30, and Desiray Carter, 30, received prison sentences of 60 months and 54 months, respectively, for their involvement in the crimes.
Officials revealed that Shannon, who worked for USPS from March 2021 to July 2023, stole incoming and outgoing checks while employed as a mail processing clerk at a Charlotte distribution center. She admitted to stealing checks between April and July 2023.
Shannon conspired with Carter and Donell Gardner, who was sentenced in 2023 to 54 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Together, they stole checks from the mail, which Gardner and Carter then sold to others, including through the Telegram channel OG Glass House, according to the press release.
Authorities report that the stolen checks amounted to over $24 million, including more than $12 million in checks listed for sale on the Telegram channel and over $8 million in stolen U.S. Treasury checks. The defendants profited hundreds of thousands of dollars from the mail theft scheme.
The U.S. Attorney’s office stated that the defendants pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit financial institution fraud and theft of government property. They were ordered to pay $113,333.87 in restitution, both jointly and individually.