NEWS RELEASE

OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES ATTORNEY

WESTERN DISTRICT OF MISSOURI

BETH PHILLIPS

Contact Don Ledford, Public Affairs ● (816) 426-4220 ● 400 East Ninth Street, Room 5510 ● Kansas City, MO 64106

www.usdoj.gov/usao/mow/index.html

NOVEMBER 10, 2010

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

FORMER REPUBLIC POSTMASTER SENTENCED

FOR MISAPPROPRIATING POSTAL FUNDS

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Beth Phillips, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that the former postmaster for the Republic, Mo., Post Office was sentenced in federal court today for misappropriating postal funds.

Donna Rippee, 64, of Republic, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Richard E. Dorr to three years probation. The court also ordered Rippee to pay $14,374.70 in restitution.

On February 1, 2010, Rippee pleaded guilty to misappropriating postal funds.

Rippee admitted that, between Jan. 1, 2002, and Feb. 7, 2008, she converted postal funds to her own use. Rippee admitted that she withdrew $2,000 from the postal account held at the U.S. Post Office and purchased two $1,000 money orders made payable to herself in an effort to cover up an approximately $40,000 shortfall in another postal account under her control.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Randall D. Eggert. It was investigated by the U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General.

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