U.S. Postal Service employee in New York pleaded guilty of mail theft

Rochester, New York – A postal worker from Upstate New York has confessed to committing theft involving cash, gift cards, and other items from the mail. This case highlights a breach of trust within the U.S. Postal Service and has led to serious legal repercussions.

Marlene Cruz, a 40-year-old resident of Rochester, admitted her guilt in a case of mail theft, as announced by the U.S. Attorney’s Office of Western New York on Thursday. Her role as an officer or employee of the U.S. Postal Service makes her offense particularly significant. Cruz now faces the possibility of up to five years in prison and could be fined up to $250,000.

The investigation into Cruz’s activities began in January 2022. This followed complaints about tampered mail in late 2021 along the route she serviced as a full-time mail carrier. The subsequent probe revealed that Cruz had, on numerous occasions, opened envelopes and parcels. She systematically removed various items, including ticket stubs, documents, cash, lottery tickets, and gift cards. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle P. Rossi provided details of these findings.

The arrest of Cruz took place on November 2, 2023. This followed “mail integrity tests” conducted by investigators. These tests involved placing greeting cards with cash and gift cards in the mail assigned to Cruz. At the end of her shift, a search warrant executed on her personal duffel bag revealed a gift card from one of the test greeting cards, confirming her involvement in the theft.

Cruz is now awaiting sentencing, which is scheduled for May.