Former Carrier Pleads Guilty to Stealing Mail from Rogersville Residents

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a former mail carrier who worked at the Rogersville, Mo., post office pleaded guilty in federal court today to stealing mail that contained cash and gift cards.

Margi J. Greek, 39, of Omaha, Ariz., waived her right to a grand jury and pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge David P. Rush to the theft of mail matter by an officer or employee. Greek was a substitute rural carrier from Nov. 30, 2013, until her termination on Nov. 21, 2014, for theft of mail.

By pleading guilty today, Greek admitted that she targeted incoming and outgoing mail that she believed contained cash and gift cards on her Rogersville route from May 1 through Nov. 21, 2014.

According to today’s plea agreement, several customers on the route complained about numerous pieces of missing mail. The missing mail was concentrated to a limited area and occurred only when Greek was delivering the mail. One resident agreed to cooperate with an investigation. Federal agents prepared an outgoing piece of mail with a delivery address in Lee’s Summit, Mo. The piece of mail contained a greeting card, $20 and a Walmart gift card.  On Oct. 18, 2014, the customer placed the piece of mail in her mailbox for Greek to pick up and deliver.  Agents observed Greek pick up the piece of mail from the customer’s mail box but the mail item was never delivered to the address in Lee’s Summit. The Walmart gift card was redeemed at Murphy’s Oil in Ozark, Mo., and video surveillance showed Greek redeeming the gift card to purchase gasoline.

A second piece of mail addressed to a non-existant Rogersville address with a return address from Kansas City, Mo.  The piece of mail contained a Walmart gift card and was placed with the other mail. Greek sorted and delivered the mail on Nov. 8, 2014, but the item was not returned to the original sender as is proper U.S. Postal procedure. The Walmart gift card was redeemed at a Walmart store in Harrison, Ark.  Photos and video surveillance showed Greek redeeming that gift card.

When agents interviewed Greek and searched her vehicle they found six unopened pieces of first-class mail and six pieces of standard mail, which contained gift cards from Visa and Walmart. Greek estimated that she stole and used approximately $200 in gift cards and $200 in cash from the mail, which she used to buy gasoline and food.

Under federal statutes, Greek is subject to a sentence of up to five years in federal prison without parole, plus a fine up to $250,000 and an order of restitution. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Carney. It was investigated by the U.S. Postal Service, Office of the Inspector General.