Pair Plead Guilty to Felony Possession of Stolen Mail

ABINGDON, Va. – A pair of Wytheville, Virginia residents pleaded guilty today to possessing stolen mail, including letters from the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Social Security Administration, and the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles.

Joseph Arthur Manning, 35, and Caitlyn Page Turner, 23, pleaded guilty today to one count each of possession of stolen mail.

According to court documents, on December 28, 2021, the Wythe County Sheriff’s Office was contacted by a person who had witnessed mail being stolen from their mailbox by a pair of individuals driving a Kia Optima. Shortly after the call, Wythe County Sheriff’s deputies located a Kia Optima and conducted a traffic stop. Manning and Turner were the occupants of the vehicle.

During the traffic stop, deputies obtained a search warrant for the car and located and recovered numerous pieces of mail from various addresses in the Barren Springs area.

United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh made the announcement.

The investigation of the case was conducted by the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Wythe County Sheriff’s Office. 

Assistant United States Attorney Lena L. Busscher prosecuted the case for the United States.