BIRMINGHAM – A federal judge today ordered a Tuscaloosa postal worker to serve eight months home detention as part of a 14-month probation sentence for delaying, detaining and stealing U.S. mail, announced U.S. Attorney Joyce White Vance and Chris Nugent, assistant special agent in charge, Office of Inspector General, U.S. Postal Service.

U.S. District Judge Virginia E. Hopkins sentenced JERRY WAYNE DILLARD, 62, of Fayette, to probation and ordered him to pay $1,335 in restitution. Dillard pleaded guilty in August to the charges of mail theft and delaying and detaining U.S. mail.

Dillard was a mail carrier from the Tuscaloosa Post Office. According to court records, U.S. Postal investigators suspected Dillard was opening mail while making deliveries. On Oct. 8 and 9, 2010, they discovered about 265 pieces of mail belonging to about 171 postal customers. Most of the mail was found buried in 14 holes in the back yard of Dillard’s home.

“This office works hard to ferret out federal employees who violate the trust of their position and break the law,” Vance said.

This U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Frank M. Salter prosecuted the case.

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