USPS -7 Postal Workers Charged With Mail Crimes

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Seven postal workers have been charged with a range of federal crimes related to the handling of mail, U.S. Attorney Jim Letten said Thursday.

Four workers were indicted by a federal grand jury and three were charged directly by prosecutors in bills of information. They face charges including stealing mail, throwing it away and taking gift cards or cash, Letten said.

All the incidents are unrelated, Letten said. The employees worked at post offices throughout the metro area, including in New Orleans, Marrero, Elmwood and Houma.

Names and charges are outlined below.

- Deshondra Simmons, 29, of Houma, is charged with three counts of theft of mail. She was working as a part-time postal clerk at the post office in Larose when she allegedly stole mail containing gift cards valued at a total of $320, the indictment alleges.

- Tamara Bernard, 37, of New Orleans, is charged with one count of theft of mail. She was an employee at a UPS Store when she allegedly stole mail from the postal service collection slot, according to prosecutors.

- Dwight Walker, 29, of New Orleans, is charged with one count of theft of mail. He was a route driver for the U.S. Postal Service, and he allegedly stole a package from his truck, prosecutors said.

- Anthony Holcombe, 28, of Covington, is charged with one count of theft of mail. He also is accused of taking a mail package from the U.S. Postal Service truck he drove, prosecutors said.

- Tongia Lawson, 24, of New Orleans, is charged with one count of delay of mail by a postal employee. Prosecutors said she was temporary postal worker at the office in New Orleans when she threw a bag with 217 pieces of mail into a garbage dumpster.

- Christopher Bourgeois, 21, of New Orleans, is charged with four counts of theft of mail. Prosecutors said he was working for the post office in Marrero when he allegedly stole cash and gift cards from four pieces of mail.

- Stafford Carter Jr., 25, of Harahan, is charged with one misdemeanor count of obstructing the delivery of mail. He is accused of failing to deliver three bundles of direct advertising mail while working as a postal carrier for the Elmwood branch post office.

"When a postal employee or contractor steals or throws away mail, they also throw away a career," said Special Agent In Charge Jennifer Broussard said in a news release. "These crimes have serious consequences and receive priority investigative attention by Special Agents of the Office of Inspector General. But most employees are not like these. They are hard workers and they would never even consider stealing someone's mail."