Former United States Postal Employee Pleads Guilty to Federal Mail Theft Charges

Baltimore, Maryland - A former postal employee pled guilty in federal court to charges connected to a check-fraud scheme.

Derrick Stewart, 34, of Baltimore, Maryland, pled guilty to federal mail theft by a postal employee, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft stemming from conduct while he worked as a clerk at a mail processing and distribution center in Baltimore.

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Executive Special Agent in Charge Kathleen Woodson, U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General (USPS-OIG), Mid-Atlantic Area Field Office, and Executive Special Agent in Charge Kareem Carter, Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, Washington D.C. Field Office.

According to court documents, beginning in September 2022, and continuing until December 2023, Stewart used his postal service position to embezzle mail, including checks. Stewart then falsely and fraudulently endorsed stolen checks with the identity theft victims' names and signatures.

Surveillance video captured Stewart depositing stolen and fraudulently endorsed checks into his personal bank accounts. Then on December 2, 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant on Stewart after he exited a postal facility. During the search, law enforcement recovered almost 200 pieces of mail containing more than $700,000.

Stewart faces a maximum sentence of 27 years in prison, including a mandatory sentence of two years consecutive to any other imposed sentence, for aggravated identity theft. The sentencing date is forthcoming.

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the USPS-OIG and IRS-CI for their investigative efforts. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Philip Motsay and Ari D. Evans who are prosecuting the federal case.

For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney's Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/report-fraud.

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