Former Letter Carrier Pleads Guilty to Illegally Destroying Mail

       BUFFALO, N.Y.—U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that Daniel Brautlacht, 20, of Cheektowaga, N.Y., pleaded guilty before Chief U.S. District Court Judge William M. Skretny, to delay or destruction of mail. The charge carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison, a fine of $250,000 or both.

Assistant U.S. Attorney, Russell T. Ippolito, Jr., who is handling the case, stated that the defendant started working for the United States Postal Service (“USPS”) as a city carrier assistant on March 9, 2013. In this position, Brautlacht was responsible for delivering letters, postal cards, packages, bags or mail on behalf of the USPS.

On March 21, 2013, while delivering mail on Davey Street in the City of Buffalo, the defendant unlawfully secreted and destroyed 31 pieces of mail, including nine pieces of First Class mail. A neighbor on Brautlacht’s route observed the defendant discard the mail into a garbage receptacle. According to admissions made by Brautlacht, the mail had become jumbled and disorganized. Rather than re-ordering the mail, the defendant discarded it. Brautlacht committed these acts less than two weeks after starting work at the USPS.

The plea is the culmination of an investigation on the part of the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, Eastern Area Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Monica Weyler.

Sentencing is scheduled for July 30, 2014 at 9:00 a.m. before Judge Skretny.