Postal Carrier Pleads Guilty to Stealing Mail

      BEAUMONT, TX -  United States Attorney Rebecca A. Gregory announced today that a 52-year-old Lumberton mail carrier has pleaded guilty to embezzling mail and delay of the mail in the Eastern District of Texas. 

JAMIE RIVERS was indicted on April 2, 2008 for embezzlement of mail by a postal employee and delay of the mail.  Rivers pleaded guilty yesterday just prior to the start of a jury trial before United States District Judge Thad Heartfield.

        According to information presented in court, the Lumberton postmaster advised special agents of the Postal Service that in December 2007 and January 2008, he received complaints of missing or undelivered mail from customers along the route of rural carrier Jamie Rivers.  One customer advised that she ordered several jewelry items from the QVC network, including earrings and a silver and stone ring which never arrived despite follow-up shipments by the company.  One February 29, 2008, a search warrant was executed at Rivers' residence in Lumberton, during which a large amount of undelivered mail was recovered on a barbeque grill on the property.  During a subsequent interview with Rivers that same day at the Post Office, it was found that she was wearing a ring that was identical to the ring that had been ordered by the customer who had earlier complained.  The ring was seized and determined to be identical in every respect, including size.  

At sentencing, Rivers faces up to one year in federal prison and a fine of up to $100,000.00.  A sentencing date has not been set at this time.

        This case is being investigated by the Office of Inspector General, U.S. Postal Service, and the Lumberton Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert L. Rawls.