[StBernard] 7 Postal Workers Charged With Mail Crimes

[Westley Annis]

7 Postal Workers Charged With Mail Crimes
U.S. Attorney: Employees Stole Mail, Cash
WDSU.com
updated 4:51 p.m. CT, Thurs., June 17, 2010
NEW ORLEANS - WDSU .com

Seven postal workers have been charged with a range of federal crimes
related to the handling of mail, U.S. Attorney Jim Letten said Thursday.

Four workers were indicted by a federal grand jury and three were charged
directly by prosecutors in bills of information. They face charges including
stealing mail, throwing it away and taking gift cards or cash, Letten said.

All the incidents are unrelated, Letten said. The employees worked at post
offices throughout the metro area, including in New Orleans, Marrero,
Elmwood and Houma.

Names and charges are outlined below.

- Deshondra Simmons, 29, of Houma, is charged with three counts of theft of
mail. She was working as a part-time postal clerk at the post office in
Larose when she allegedly stole mail containing gift cards valued at a total
of $320, the indictment alleges.

- Tamara Bernard, 37, of New Orleans, is charged with one count of theft of
mail. She was an employee at a UPS Store when she allegedly stole mail from
the postal service collection slot, according to prosecutors.

- Dwight Walker, 29, of New Orleans, is charged with one count of theft of
mail. He was a route driver for the U.S. Postal Service, and he allegedly
stole a package from his truck, prosecutors said.

- Anthony Holcombe, 28, of Covington, is charged with one count of theft of
mail. He also is accused of taking a mail package from the U.S. Postal
Service truck he drove, prosecutors said.

- Tongia Lawson, 24, of New Orleans, is charged with one count of delay of
mail by a postal employee. Prosecutors said she was temporary postal worker
at the office in New Orleans when she threw a bag with 217 pieces of mail
into a garbage dumpster.

- Christopher Bourgeois, 21, of New Orleans, is charged with four counts of
theft of mail. Prosecutors said he was working for the post office in
Marrero when he allegedly stole cash and gift cards from four pieces of
mail.

- Stafford Carter Jr., 25, of Harahan, is charged with one misdemeanor count
of obstructing the delivery of mail. He is accused of failing to deliver
three bundles of direct advertising mail while working as a postal carrier
for the Elmwood branch post office.

"When a postal employee or contractor steals or throws away mail, they also
throw away a career," said Special Agent In Charge Jennifer Broussard said
in a news release. "These crimes have serious consequences and receive
priority investigative attention by Special Agents of the Office of
Inspector General. But most employees are not like these. They are hard
workers and they would never even consider stealing someone's mail."