KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Kansas City, Mo., postal carrier was indicted by a federal grand jury today for stealing from the mail.
Shawn C. Henderson, 45, of Kansas City, was charged in a three-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo.
Henderson was employed as a city carrier associate for the U.S. Postal Service since April 2013. Today’s indictment alleges that she stole $1,646 worth of EBT cards from customers on her mail route from April 20 to Aug. 7, 2013. EBT cards are like debit cards and are used to provide benefits under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), also known as “food stamps,” which helps lower-income individuals and families buy food. Henderson allegedly used the EBT cards herself and gave some of the cards to a person identified in the indictment as “E.M.”
During that time, Henderson allegedly removed greeting cards, gift cards and EBT cards from the mail she was responsible to deliver. Henderson allegedly opened mail that wasn’t addressed to her with the intent to steal those items for her own use.
The indictment also alleges that Henderson stole and used an EBT card by resetting the PIN and assuming the rightful owner’s identity at various food outlets.
Today’s indictment charges Henderson with one count of stealing government property, one count of stealing mail and one count of aggravated identity theft. The indictment also contains a forfeiture allegation, which would require Henderson to forfeit to the government any proceeds obtained from the alleged offenses, including a money judgment of $1,656.
Dickinson cautioned that the charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathleen D. Mahoney. It was investigated by the U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General.
Dozens of postal workers and opponents of privatization of the US Post Office picketed the Staples store on Van Ness Street in San Francisco on January 28, 2014. The American Postal Workers Union APWU which initiated the action charges that the Staple store will not protect the mail.
I’m sure MR Potter was exaggerating a little bit, but there are bad apples in every organization, some it’s much harder to catch then others, the CCA that was caught, was stealing track-able items, it was just a matter of time before he got caught.
Dear Mr. Potter- I’m very interested in your assertion. Would you care to back that up with some substantiating facts..being as you ARE SURE that this is going on 10x’s more than it’s being caught. Remember, Mr. Potter, that you are slandering thousands of honest carriers with irresponsible remarks like that. That is, of course, unless you have some corroborating facts to back up your assertion. Now proceed with the facts my good man, and be quick about it!!
Not a surprise, I’m sure this is going on more often than not, for everyone they catch 10 are probably getting away with it.