A Tallahassee postal worker has been arrested after investigators say she stole cash and gift cards from mail she was processing at a local post office.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement on Thursday announced the arrest of Napeaches Blair, 43, of Tallahassee, on charges of grand theft and mail theft. Blair worked as a U.S. Postal Service sales and service clerk in Tallahassee.
According to FDLE, the investigation began in April after the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General alerted agents to a possible mail theft case. Investigators determined Blair was allegedly stealing cash and gift cards from pieces of mail while working at a post office counter, according to FDLE.
It’s not the first arrest either. Two former Tallahassee employees for the U.S. Postal Service pleaded guilty in federal court to a number of charges related to mail and identity theft, federal prosecutors said June 8. Together, the two conspired to steal a number of mail parcels, including mailed checks that they fraudulently deposited in financial institutions and then split the proceeds.
The latest arrest, though, came after a sting operation.
FDLE said an undercover agent mailed a card containing $1,000 in cash as part of the investigation. The agency said the operation confirmed that Blair removed the money from the card.
“Manipulating the U.S. Mailing System will never be tolerated in Florida and FDLE will investigate any crimes that affect that system,” FDLE Tallahassee Special Agent in Charge Keith Wilmer said in a statement.
Blair was arrested July 13 and booked into the Leon County Jail. The U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General assisted in the investigation, which remains active.
The agency posted news of the arrest on social media under the headline “delivering justice.” It included a photo of Blair being arrested in her postal uniform.
“This postal employee thought stealing cash could deliver a big payday. Instead, it just landed her in jail.”
Capital city residents have long complained of shoddy mail service, slow deliveries and missing mail. The outcry created such a fevered pitch, a local congressman and county commissioner got involved, and the Postal Service held a town hall to hear from residents. Ultimately, the agency said it would invest $5 million to improve service locally, though complaints have persisted.
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This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: FDLE: Tallahassee postal worker arrested after undercover operation
Reporting by Staff reports, Tallahassee Democrat / Tallahassee Democrat
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By Staff reports, Tallahassee Democrat | USA TODAY Network
