Former Postal Carrier Offers Guilty Plea for Stealing Marijuana and Methamphetamine Mail Packages

COLUMBUS, Ohio – A former United States Postal Carrier pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court today to stealing mail parcels that contained narcotics and then selling those narcotics in his neighborhood.

Ricky Lee Harris Germany, 32, of Columbus, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to possess with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of methamphetamine and a detectable amount of marijuana.

Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Kenneth Cleevely, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General (USPS-OIG) Eastern Area Field Office, announced the plea offered before U.S. Magistrate Judge Norah McCann King.

According to court documents, Germany had been employed as a city postal carrier at the United States Postal Service’s Oakland Park Station in Columbus from 2013 until 2018.

In September 2018, investigators received information that Germany had stolen mail parcels containing marijuana while employed as a postal carrier. According to a complainant, Harris Germany stole more than 100 pounds of marijuana over the course of six months. The complainant stated Harris Germany would look for large parcels from California, Texas and Arizona and would check the packages on his lunch break to see if they contained drugs.

The investigation revealed Germany intercepted mail parcels on multiple occasions from delivery routes other than his assigned route. During a search of his residence, investigators discovered opened packages containing marijuana, THC oil and methamphetamine.

Germany admitted to stealing mail coming from out of state and selling stolen narcotics to people in his neighborhood.

Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of methamphetamine is punishable by a range of 10 years up to life in prison.

U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the investigation of this case by the USPS-OIG and Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan J.C. Grey, who is representing the United States in this case.

# # #