COEUR D’ALENE – Mari A. Mort, 46, of Grangeville, Idaho, was sentenced today in United States District Court to five years of probation, U.S. Attorney Wendy J. Olson announced. Chief U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill also ordered Mort to pay $7,721.58 in restitution. Mort pleaded guilty to the charge of misappropriating postal funds in March 2014.

According to court documents between February 14, 2011, and June 13, 2013, Mort, who was employed at the U.S. Post Office in Grangeville, Idaho, stole money from Water Oz, a company located just outside Grangeville. Mort embezzled funds by charging Water Oz for packages the company did not mail and refunding the money to herself.

The case was investigated by the Office of Inspector General for the United States Postal Service.

Additional info
As part of the plea agreement federal prosecutors dropped a second charge of providing false information to a postal inspector.

According to court records Mort was charged with taking money by creating numerous Postal Validation Imprint (PVI) labels, charging them to a USPS business customer, Water Oz, and later issued refunds on these and kept the money. During this time, Mort was also alleged to have pocketed cash money provided to her during customer transactions. USPS investigators determined Mort stole $7,721.58 during this 28-month period.