Former Postal Carrier Heads To Federal Prison For Stealing Government Funds

HOUSTON - Mytasha Henry, a former U.S. Postal Service letter carrier from the Houston area has been ordered to prison following her conviction on charges of stealing government funds with regards to the Office of Workers’ Compensation Program (OWCP), United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson announced today. Henry pleaded guilty Friday, Nov. 16, 2012.

Today, U.S. District Judge Melinda Harmon, who accepted the guilty plea, handed Henry a sentence of 24 months and was further ordered to pay was further ordered to pay $171,039.50 in restitution. Henry will also be required to serve a term of three years of supervised release following completion of the prison term.

Henry, 32, was indicted by a federal grand jury in Houston May 8, 2012, on five counts of mail fraud, one count of false statements regarding federal workers’ compensation benefits and one count of theft of government money. She later pleaded guilty to all counts. 

The OWCP allows federal employees who sustain on-the-job injuries to receive medical payments and compensation benefits, including reimbursement for medically-related travel. From July 2007 to July 2008, Henry worked as a letter carrier at the Royall Station in Houston. Citing an injury that occurred while delivering mail, she filed a Federal Employee’s Claim for Continuation of Pay/Compensation in 2007.

From Sept. 21, 2007, through May 14, 2012, Henry filed medical travel refund requests with the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) and OWCP claiming mileage reimbursement and parking and toll fee reimbursements for physician and rehabilitation appointments which she did not attend nor incur associated costs. Henry defrauded the DOL and OWCP of more than $173,000, which she received as a result of her fraudulent claims.

Henry is in custody where she will remain pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

The case is being investigated by DOL-Office of Inspector General and the U.S. Postal Service-Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Suzanne Elmilady is prosecuting this case.