March 6, 2015 – Update: The former PMR has been sentenced to three months in federal prison for stealing mail and embezzling postal money orders.

Maine Postmaster Relief pleads guilty to stealing over $20,000 worth of mail and money orders

August 19, 2014 – A former Postmaster Relief  (PMR) at the post office in East Vassalboro, Maine pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to charges of theft of mail by postal employee and theft of money orders.

Jason Stockmar, 28, of Augusta, who started working with USPS in July 2011, is facing up to five years in prison on each count and up to a $250,000 fine.

According to the Assistant U.S. Attorney F. Todd Lowell’s version of the offense:

In February 2013, the defendant took 20 blank postal service money orders from a safe in the East Vassalboro Post Office. He imprinted the money orders for a total of$19,547.63 and sent them to a company called APMEX along with an order for gold bars. He made the order in the name of a person who was a post office clerk at the North Vassalboro Post Office. That person did not know that the defendant had used her name or made the order.

The post office clerk received a letter from APMEX and this led to the discovery of the APMEX order and a broader investigation of the defendant and an investigation into complaints by postal customers about missing mail. That investigation and an interview of the defendant revealed that the defendant had been “rifling” mail. In an interview, the defendant estimated that he had “rifled” 25 to 30 pieces of customer mail. The defendant took cash, checks, and gift cards from pieces of mail that had been received at the East Vassalboro, Maine Post Office.

The USPS has identified several victims of the defendant’s conduct. The defendant was employed by the USPS when he took items deposited in the mail by those victims. Those victims (identified below by their initials) and their losses include:

LR sent a check in the mail in April 2013 that was payable in the amount of$600. The defendant took the check from the mail, changed the payee on the check and then negotiated the check and converted the funds to his own use.

CF sent a postal money order in the mail in April 2013 that was payable in the amount of$100. The defendant took the money order from the mail, changed the payee on the money order and then negotiated the money order and converted the funds to his own use.

RH sent a personal check in the mail in April 2013 that was payable in the amount of$150. The defendant took the check from the mail, changed the payee on the check and then negotiated the check and converted the funds to his own use.

MH sent a $125 Walmart gift card in the mail in December 2012. The defendant took the gift card from the mail and used it at the Walmart store in Augusta, Maine.

HB sent a personal check in the mail in April 2013 that was payable in the amount of$50. The defendant took the check from the mail, changed the payee on the check and then negotiated the check and converted the funds to his own use.

An organization with the initials WRC sent three checks in the mail in April 2013 that totaled $825. The defendant took the checks from the mail, changed the payee on each of the checks and then negotiated the checks and converted the funds to his own use.

JL sent a postal money order in the mail in April 2013 that was payable in the amount of$600. The defendant took the money order from the mail, changed the payee on the money order and then negotiated the money order and converted the funds to his own use.

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

Stockmar was represented by defense attorney Virginia Villa, but she withdrew from the case.