UNITED STATES ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
EASTERN DISTRICT OF MISSOURI

MICHAEL W. REAP
Acting United States Attorney

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NEWS RELEASE

For further information call (314) 539-2200

October 30, 2009
For Immediate Release

FORMER EMPLOYEE OF THE MISSOURI HISTORICAL SOCIETY SENTENCED ON CHARGES OF WIRE FRAUD

St. Louis, MO: Christopher Bunting was sentenced to 21 months in prison for wire fraud, Acting United States Attorney Michael W. Reap announced today.

"The Postal Service relies on the Office of Inspector General to safeguard the revenue and assets of the Postal Service. When postal employees conspire with others to defraud the Postal Service and its customers of funds and revenue, OIG Special Agents vigorously investigate these crimes, said Scott Caspall, Special Agent in Charge for the OIG’s Great Lakes Area Office.

Christopher Bunting was employed at the Missouri Historical Society in the mailroom and was responsible for all U.S. Postal Service matters.   Between November 2002 and December 2007, Bunting converted postage meter strips from the Missouri Historical Society mailroom to approximately $180,000 worth of money orders or checks for his own personal gain. 

CHRISTOPHER BUNTING, St. Louis, Missouri, pleaded guilty in August  to one felony count of mail fraud and appeared today for sentencing before United States District Rodney W. Sippel. 

Reap commended the work performed on the case by the U.S. Postal Service - Office of Inspector General and Assistant United States Attorney Carrie Costantin, who handled the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.