A postal worker with an “unusually high number of customer complaints” was accused of stealing a customer’s credit card and has now pleaded guilty in Florida.
The 43-year-old man worked for the U.S. Postal Service for 16 years, according to a plea agreement.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida shared Dec. 10 that the former employee of the St. Petersburg Main Post Office pleaded guilty to one count of theft by a postal employee.
His attorney declined to comment to McClatchy News, as the sentencing has not yet taken place. According to his attorney and the plea agreement, he cooperated and took responsibility.
In May 2023, USPS received a complaint from a customer who said a Social Security card and a credit card she was expecting in the mail never arrived, officials said in a plea agreement.
Another credit card was mailed to her, then again she reported she never received it. In October that year, she saw a $280 transaction from a Winn Dixie in Madeira Beach on her statement, but she didn’t make that purchase, according to federal officials.
Winn Dixie gave investigators surveillance footage showing the mail carrier assigned to the woman’s route making a purchase with his mom using the stolen credit card, according to the man’s plea agreement.
The St. Petersburg man faces up to five years in prison, but a sentence date hasn’t been set.
St. Petersburg is part of the Tampa Bay area.