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Press Release

Pittsburgh Woman Sentenced for Mail Theft

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Western District of Pennsylvania

PITTSBURGH, PA - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to two years’ probation and 100 hours’ community service on her conviction of mail theft, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.

United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon imposed the sentence on Ekeyma Harris, 32.

According to information presented to the court, on November 17, 2018, a woman living in Longmont, Colorado, reported to her local police department that she believed she had been victimized by unknown individuals living in Jamaica who telephoned her and reported that she was a Publishing Clearing House winner. In order to collect her winnings, the callers convinced her to send two U.S. Postal Express packages, one to "David Miller" containing $810 and a second to "James Holliday" containing $6,800 to an address on Imogene Road, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15217. Following her report, the Postal Service intercepted the package and delivered it on November 21, 2018, under the direction of law enforcement. Harris opened the door and signed a fictitious name on a Postal Service Domestic Return Receipt, in order to take receipt of the package and its contents, knowing that no individual by the name of James Holliday resided at that address.

Assistant United States Attorney Carolyn J. Bloch prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

The United States Postal Inspection Service conducted the investigation that led to the successful prosecution of Harris.

Updated July 8, 2019