MADISON, WIS. — John W. Vaudreuil, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Nikolaus Jones, 33, Waunakee, Wis., was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to nine months in custody, followed by two years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay restitution for the theft of mail by a postal employee.   Jones pleaded guilty to this charge on October 1, 2014.

Jones was employed as a mail handler by the U.S. Postal Service in Madison, Wis. from July 2005 through January 2014.  His responsibilities included collecting mail from various mail slots and collection boxes in front of the carrier annex on Corporate Drive in Madison.  The investigation revealed that while collecting mail from the mail slots and collection boxes, Jones took items from the mail that had been entrusted to him as a U.S. Postal Service employee.  The items stolen from the mail included gift cards which he later either used for his personal benefit or sold to others.

The charge against Nikolaus Jones was the result of an investigation conducted by the U.S. Postal Service, Office of the Inspector General.  The prosecution of the case has been handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Grant C. Johnson.