NEWS RELEASE
UNITED STATES ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
WESTERN DISTRICT OF VIRGINIA
Julia C. Dudley United States Attorney Brian McGinn Public Affairs Specialist |
BB&T Building 310 1st Street, S.W., Room 906 Roanoke, Virginia 24011 (540) 857-2974 FAX (540) 857-2179 |
June 9, 2009
FORMER POSTAL EMPLOYEE PLEADS GUILTY TO EMBEZZLEMENT
Tasha Layne Formerly Worked at the Naruna Post Office
United States Attorney Julia C. Dudley announced today that Tasha Layne, age 28, of Gladys, Virginia, pled guilty today in the United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia in Lynchburg to charges that she used her employment with the United States Postal Service to embezzle monies that did not belong to her.
Layne was indicted on March 12, 2009 and charged with two counts of embezzlement of postal money orders. Today in District Court, Layne pled guilty to one count of embezzling postal money orders.
The defendant admitted today that between November 2005 and December 2007 she illegally converted 98 money orders in the total amount of $9,271.49 to her own personal use. Layne took these actions while working in her official capacity as an employee of the United States Postal Service at the Naruna Post Office.
The maximum penalty faced by the defendant is 10 years incarceration and/or a fine of up to $250,000. A sentencing hearing has not been scheduled in this matter. The defendant remains free on bond pending sentencing.
The investigation of the case was conducted by the United States Postal Inspection Service. Assistant United States Attorney Ashley B. Neese is prosecuting the case for the United States.