Former mailman pleads guilty to stealing mail

A former carrier for the U.S. Postal Service pleaded guilty Wednesday in federal court to stealing mail.

Justin Thomas, 27, appeared with Texarkana lawyer Howard Mowery for a plea hearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge Caroline Craven in a fourth floor courtroom on the Texas side of Texarkana's downtown federal building. Thomas entered a plea of guilty to an information charging him with theft of mail by a postal employee.

Thomas was a city carrier associate assigned to the Texarkana, Texas, main post office Nov. 4, 2015, according to a factual basis filed Wednesday. While on his route, Thomas opened a light blue envelope containing a greeting card and $20 cash. Thomas pocketed the currency and continued delivering mail.

A short time later the same day, special agents with the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General made contact with Thomas and questioned him about mail theft. Thomas admitted to stealing the $20 from a greeting card that day and, "also that I had stolen approximately 20 additional pieces of mail between July and October 2015 that contained currency or gift cards," the factual basis states.

"I also admitted that on Nov. 1, 2015, I stole a parcel containing medicine that had been shipped by the Veteran's Affairs Department to an area veteran," the factual basis states. "Upon opening the parcel, I removed some of the medicine and later sold it to another person."

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Ross told the court Wednesday that Thomas' proposed plea agreement includes a three-year term of federal probation, a $1,500 fine and restitution in an amount to
be determined. Craven explained to Thomas that officials will likely determine what amount of restitution Thomas owes during a pre-sentence investigation which will be completed prior to formal sentencing.

Once a report detailing the pre-sentence investigation is received by the court, a date for Thomas to be formally sentenced will be scheduled. Craven allowed Thomas to remain free on a personal recognizance bond.

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