US Postal Service worker facing federal charges for stealing mail over 3-month period

Authorities say a United States Postal Service worker in Ohio is facing federal charges for stealing mail. (Source: WTVG)
Published: Sep. 19, 2023 at 10:19 PM EDT

TOLEDO, Ohio (WTVG/Gray News) - A U.S. Postal Service worker from the Toledo area accused of stealing mail is now facing federal charges.

Investigators in Ohio say it happened over a three-month period.

Prosecutors are charging Megan Huffman with one count of theft of mail by a postal employee.

According to court documents, Huffman stole, removed mail, or something intended to be conveyed by mail between October and December of last year.

The mail thefts reportedly happened in the Northern District of Ohio.

“This type of behavior within the Postal Service is not tolerated and is a rare occurrence,” a spokesperson for the U.S. Postal Service said in a statement.

Mail thefts appear to be crimes on the rise.

According to authorities, inspectors initiated more than 1,100 mail theft cases in 2022. The year before that, it was just over 1,000. But very few of the cases involved postal employees.

“It is important for the public we serve to know the overwhelming majority of Postal Service employees are honest, hardworking, and trustworthy individuals who would never consider engaging in any type of criminal behavior,” a Postal Service spokesperson shared.

Officials with the Postal Service said they consider the allegations of delay, destruction or theft of any mail by a Postal Service employee to be a very serious issue.

“When such allegations are made, special agents vigorously investigate those allegations,” a Postal Service spokesperson said.