April 14, 2009
POSTAL EMPLOYEE AND CONSPIRATOR INDICTED IN SCHEME TO STEAL STAMPS WORTH OVER $682,000
Baltimore, Maryland - A federal grand jury indicted Marvin Lamont Foster, age 54, of Rosedale, Maryland, and Kyle Mathias, age 23, of Joppa, Maryland, today for conspiracy to steal from the United States Postal Service (USPS), announced United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein.
“Anyone who buys stamps at a discount should be on notice of the risk that they are purchasing stolen property,” said U.S. Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein.
According to the indictment, Foster was a window clerk at the Elkridge Post Office, having been employed there since 1998. First class postage stamps are provided by USPS to local post offices packaged in “bricks” which consist of 2,000 stamps valued at $840 per brick and “coils” which consist of 100 stamps valued at $42. The indictment alleges that from June 2008 through March 2009, Foster stole “bricks” and “coils” of stamps from the post office, which he provided to Mathias and others to sell. Mathias sold the stamps through an account he set up on E-bay. The indictment seeks forfeiture of $682,809.11, alleged to be the proceeds of the scheme.
Foster and Mathias face a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
An indictment is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.
United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein thanked the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Postal Service - Office of Inspector General and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for their investigative work. Mr. Rosenstein commended Assistant United States Attorneys Sandra Wilkinson and Rachel M. Yasser, who are prosecuting the case.
April 9, 2009
(HOUSTON) - Former rural carrier associate Rodney Ervin has been sentenced to prison for mail theft, access device fraud and aggravated identity theft, acting United States Attorney Tim Johnson announced today.
U.S. District Court Judge Melinda Harmon sentenced Ervin to one month imprisonment on the mail theft count, one month for the access device count to run concurrently. He will also serve a two-year mandatory statutory maximum sentence for the aggravated identity theft count, to run consecutively for a total of a 25-month sentence. Indicted on July 17, 2008, Ervin pleaded guilty on Nov. 7, 2008, admitting he stole mail containing credit cards from customers residing along Rural Route 127, delivered out of the Bear Creek Station located on Cairnway Drive in Houston.
Special Agents of the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General (USPS-OIG) initiated an investigation upon receiving a customer complaint advising use of a Chase MasterCard credit card stolen from the mail. Follow-up investigation revealed two additional Chase credit cards stolen from the mail. USPS-OIG agents determined Ervin had been assigned to the effected route when the reported mail losses had occurred. In addition, Ervin was captured and identified from video surveillance at various merchant locations using the credit cards and signing the legitimate customers’ names. The customers advised they did not authorize Ervin possession or use of their credit cards and Ervin was identified as being responsible for $2,517.52 in fraudulent charges.
Following the sentencing of another rural carrier associate in just less than two weeks, also resulting in the mandatory two-year-term, once again, the USPS reiterates: “Identity theft is one of the fastest growing crimes in the United States and is a serious federal offense,” said Max Eamiguel, Executive Special Agent-in-Charge, USPS-OIG, Southwest Field Office. “The American public trusts the Postal Service to deliver its mail intact. When a postal employee betrays that trust and steals mail, then uses stolen financial information to wreak havoc in the lives of our citizens, Special Agents of the Postal Service’s Office of Inspector General investigate. Fortunately, these incidents are not common and the overwhelming majority of the 700,000 postal employees are honest and hard working. With the prosecutive support of the United States Attorney’s Office, we will aggressively pursue any employee committing a postal crime.”
Ervin began his employment with the United States Postal Service as a rural carrier associate on Aug. 28, 1999. His employment has since been terminated.
Ervin will be allowed to self-surrender to the Bureau of Prisons on within 45 days. In addition to the 25 months sentence plus the mandatory two-year prison term, Judge Melinda Harmon also imposed a two-term of supervised release to begin following his release from prison and further ordered he pay restitution to the victims in the amount of $2,517.52.
The investigation leading to Ervin’s indictment and arrest was conducted by Special Agents with USPS-OIG. The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Tammie Y. Moore.
The APWU in Oakland, CA, via the petition below, is seeking Congressional investigation in USPS practices
The Honorable Senator Diane Feinstein
United States Senate
331 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
The Honorable Senator Barbara Boxer
United States Senate
112 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
The Honorable Representative Barbara Lee
United States House of Representatives
2444 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Dear Senators/Representative:
We, the undersigned Oakland Post Office P&DC bid cluster Postal Service employees, union officials, customers, concerned citizens, and constituents of the 9th Congressional District, over the years have stood by helplessly and dismayed as the Postal Service deteriorated. The methodical decline of the Postal Service has been primarily caused by a conspiracy involving special interest groups, Postal Service Headquarters, and some members of Congress, with the objective of privatizing the Postal Service. We have watched as Postal Service Headquarters pandered to large mailers to the detriment of the public, small businesses, non profit organizations, Postal Service employees, and the Postal Service.
For years, management has falsified figures regarding the volume of mail processed and delivered at the Oakland Post Office P&DC bid cluster; understaffed postal operations, used inept managers to run these operations, and used outdated equipment that is seriously in disrepair. This has caused mail delivery to be delayed, the closure of facilities, hiring freezes, unsafe working conditions, blatant violations of Federal laws and the employees’ Collective Bargaining Agreement, and the loss of numerous Postal Service jobs.
It is time for the new leadership in Congress and the new administration to take a serious and sincere look at the Postal Service business practices. We urge Congress to conduct a comprehensive and thorough investigation of the Oakland Post Office P&DC bid cluster, that will include interviews with craft employees and visits to all facilities.
If the Postal Service is privatized this will devolve into private industry a responsibility that it cannot handle adequately and mail would not be under the protection of Federal law. People living in remote areas would be denied mail service or it would become very expensive for mail because of delivery cost and volume.Moreover, many jobs would be lost.
Yes, it is true, the Postal Service has its problems just as other businesses; however, the United States Postal Service moves more mail more cheaply and efficiently than any other government or private systems in the world.
The Postal Service is a vital public service. It connects citizens like nothing else. You can be at the bottom of the Grand Canyon, in prison, or even homeless, yet you still get your mail. Now it’s time to revive the Postal Service for the common good and to protect a service that citizens need and deserve.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – On Wednesday, March 25, 2009, at 10:00 a.m. in room 2154 of the Rayburn House Office Building, the Subcommittee on Federal Workforce, Postal Service and the District of Columbia will hold a hearing entitled, “Restoring the Financial Stability of the U.S. Postal Service: What Needs to be Done?”
The Subcommittee will examine how the nationwide economic downturn, coupled with technological trends, has produced declining volumes and revenues for the United States Postal Service.
“With the Postal Service facing budget shortfalls the Subcommittee will consider a number of options to restore financial stability, and examine ways for the Postal Service to continue to operate without cutting services,” Chairman Stephen F. Lynch said.
The Postal Service’s recent decision to close six of its 80 district offices, eliminate positions across the country and offer another early retirement opportunity makes the Subcommittee’s hearing very timely.
The hearing aims to generate effective short and long term strategies to reduce costs and improve efficiency at the Postal Service. In addition, the Subcommittee will question the Board of Governors on Postal executives’ compensation packages.
“Given the ongoing financial losses at the Postal Service, there has been a considerable backlash among postal customers and current and former employees regarding the Postal executives’ compensation packages, including that of Postmaster General Potter. Members of Congress have been hearing from our constituents and we intend to look into this matter at the hearing and ascertain how those pay levels were determined and how to bring them in line with the current reality,” added Chairman Lynch.
Witnesses’ testimonies, the Chairman’s opening statement and a 10 a.m. live broadcast of the hearing can be found on the Subcommittee’s website, federalworkforce.oversight.house.gov
House Subcommittee on Federal Workforce, Postal Service and the District of Columbia to Hold Meeting On Federal Employees Paid Parental Leave Act of 2009 on March 25, 2009
Business Meeting/Hearing Notice
H.R. 626 the “Federal Employees Paid Parental Leave Act of 2009”/“Restoring the Financial Stability of the U.S. Postal Service: What Needs to be Done?”
The Subcommittee on Federal Workforce, Postal Service and the District of Columbia will hold a business meeting on Wednesday, March 25, 2009 at 9:30 a.m. in room 2154 of the Rayburn House Office Building, to markup H.R. 626 the “Federal Employees Paid Parental Leave Act of 2009.”
Immediately following the business meeting, the subcommittee will hold a hearing entitled, “Restoring the Financial Stability of the U.S. Postal Service: What Needs to be Done?”
The hearing will examine the financial stability of the USPS and discuss the short and long term strategies to reduce costs and improve efficiency.
For further information regarding the hearing, please contact the Subcommittee Clerk/Press Secretary, Marcus A. Williams, at ext – 65845.
For witness list go here: http://federalworkforce.oversight.house.gov/story.asp?ID=2344
Is The OIG Issuing "Tickets"?
It is apparent the OIG is issuing "tickets" in some parts of the country to postal employees. The clerk craft is aware of three instances of tickets being issued as follows:
After the APWU won a removal case at Palatine, IL, the OIG issued a $125 ticket to the union steward for allegedly lying at the hearing. The APWU law firm represented the steward in the matter and before she was scheduled to appear before the Federal Magistrate Judge, the U.S. Attorney dismissed the charges.
Also at Palatine, IL, a clerk was alleged to have been selling bootleg DVDs and CDs at work. The OIG gave the employee a $50 ticket, which he paid. I understand a removal is now in the works. The local was advised against filing an Article 28 case as this is not a demand for money. It is a citation and an associated fine.
An employee in Hawthorne, CA was issued a ticket for allegedly selling bootleg DVDs.
We wanted to make you aware of this since it looks like it may be spreading. Obviously the union should intervene to represent our employees in cases similar to the first one. The grievance procedure; however, is not the appropriate venue in the APWU's opinion. Since these "tickets" would have to go in front of a Federal Magistrate, there is serious doubt that an arbitrator would consider them substantively arbitrable.
Please advise the NBA Office if you are aware of any of these tickets being issued in our area.
Russ Bugary, NBA, Clerk Craft, APWU
NOTE: PEN cannot confirm the validity of the above information at this time.
Plea date moved for ex-mail carrier
The plea date for a former Howell mail carrier charged in federal court for failing to deliver mail between December 2005 and September 2008 has been reset to Jan. 20.
Jill Mary Hull is charged with "desertion of the mails." She was initially expected to enter a plea this Thursday.
The Webberville woman was initially charged with a felony
of stealing more than 9,400 pieces of mail, but those charges have been dropped by federal prosecutors.
Hull, who resigned in August, allegedly stored the undelivered mail at a storage unit at Fowlerville Mini Storage and told investigators she intended to keep paying rent on it "until the day I died."
However, the undelivered mail was discovered in early in September when employees began preparing to auction off the unit's contents because Hull had not paid the bill, court papers allege.
Source: Livingston Daily
USPS VOLUNTARY EARLY RETIREMENT UPDATE
The Postal Service has released additional details on the voluntary early retirement (VER) offer recently authorized by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) for USPS employees in clerk, mail handler, supervisor of distribution operations, and supervisor of customer services positions.
The offer is open to employees in positions that meet the OPM conditions and who are at least 50 years of age with 20 years of creditable federal service or any age with 25 years of creditable federal service.
VER Group 1 includes clerks, mail handlers and initial level supervisors of mail processing and customer service. The group has 72,000 eligible employees. The application deadline was Sept. 30. USPS has approved the applications of 3,685 employees, whose retirement date is Dec. 31, 2008.
VER Group 2 includes headquarters and headquarters-related employees, as well as rural and letters carriers. This group has 67,000 eligible employees. The applications deadline was Nov. 21. USPS has approved the applications of 4,049 employees, and their retirement date is Feb. 28, 2009.
Finally, VER Group 3 consists of field EAS and Postmasters — 17,000 eligible employees. The application deadline for this group is Feb. 9, 2009. Their retirement date is March 31, 2009.
This article courtesy of PostCom: www.postcom.org
In This issue:
- Pay Concessions for Postal Supervisors and Postmasters?
- FERS Sick Leave Bill Stalls in Senate
- USPS to PRC: Don't Mess with the Universal Service Obligation and the Mailbox
- Several Postal Gems Worth Reading ...
... And Four Great Election Guides
Pay Concessions for Postal Supervisors and Postmasters?
Several reports in recent days on the web have noted that USPS PCES managers were told by USPS top management that they will not receive pay raises this year because of the deteriorating financial situation.
Building on that development, USPS labor relations officials recently asked the postal management associations to consider similar concessions by supervisors and postmasters. NAPS and the postmaster organizations will give their response to USPS on Thursday.
FERS Sick Leave Bill Stalls in Senate
The FERS sick leave bill has stalled in the Senate and appears to be dead for this year. Some experts believe on and off the Hill that the measure could pass in 2009.
The House in July passed legislation that would give FERS-covered employees the same retirement credit for unused sick leave as already applies to workers covered under the older Civil Service Retirement System.
The FERS sick leave provisions were part of a larger measure that would grant the Food and Drug Administration authority over tobacco products.
The Senate left Washington in late September for the election recess without bringing the measure up for a vote and is unlikely to do so even if lawmakers return after the election, primarily to pass a second economic stimulus package < http://www.usnews.com/articles/news/politics/2008/10/27/democrats-in-congress-push-for-a-new-stimulus-package-to-jumpstart-ailing-economy.html >
The bill passed the House this summer with overwhelming support, but a threat from Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC) to block it and a veto threat from the White House helped stall it in the Senate.
The bill, the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act (H.R. 1108), was approved by a 326-102 vote in the House. It would require the FDA to regulate the labeling and advertising of tobacco products and ban flavored cigarettes excluding menthol. Though tobacco regulation is a hot button issue on Capitol Hill, both presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama strongly support giving the FDA the authority to restrict tobacco marketing and set standards for nicotine levels in cigarettes.
In addition to the FERS sick leave provisions in the tobacco bill, the measure also would authorize the Federal Thrift Retirement Investment Board to establish a Roth contribution plan and self-directed investment options within the TSP. The addition of the Roth contribution plan option, under Congressional budget scoring rules, provided the additional federal revenue that made possible the more generous, CSRS-like FERS sick leave formula. The Roth revenue also offsets the loss of federal tobacco taxes from an anticipated decline in smoking.
How would the FERS sick leave work? Under the measure, FERS employees who retire within three years of the bill's enactment would receive service credit in the computation of their pension for 75 percent of their accrued sick leave at the time of retirement. Those who retire three years after enactment would receive 100% credit for all of their unused sick leave.
The conferral of FERS sick leave credit has been a legislative goal of the National Association of Postal Supervisors. NAPS will push for the reintroduction of the FERS sick leave provisions early in the next session of the 111th Congress.
USPS to PRC: Don't Mess with the Universal Service Obligation and the Mailbox Rule
The Postal Service in recent comments has urged the Postal Regulatory Commission to not recommend any changes to the Universal Service Obligation and the mailbox monopoly, at least for now. And the RAND Corporation in a recent report < http://www.rand.org/pubs/monographs/MG800/?ref=homepage&key=t_mailbox > requested by the Postal Service has pointed to increased mail theft, mail-related financial crimes and explosives-related incidents as a likely result of widening mailbox access to private couriers.
Those views line up with the position that NAPS and other groups urged the PRC to take during hearings earlier this summer and could be decisive in the way the PRC approaches the question in its much awaited report, due in December.
The PRC is required by the Postal Act of 2006 < http://www.usps.com/postallaw/ > to submit a report to the President and Congress on universal postal service and the postal monopoly by mid-December 2008. The Government Accountability Office is also required by 2011 to make a broad range of recommendations and to include experiences of other countries.
Surveys and hearings indicate that the American public and mailing industry do not want any changes to the universal service obligation or the mailbox monopoly, the Postal Service told thePRC . Compared to other posts, the Postal Service provides a high level of service and does so at low, affordable prices. Especially right now, the Postal Service needs flexibility to be increasingly responsive in serving Americans; a rigidly defined USO would unduly restrict the Postal Service and ultimately harm the American public and businesses.
USPS also said that the postal monopoly (including the Private Express Statutes and mailbox access rule) must be preserved since it is the current funding mechanism to ensure the American public continues to receive affordable, universal service. Any potential change to the monopoly would require identification and implementation of new USO funding mechanisms, USPS pointed out.
During a PRC hearing in July, NAPS President Ted Keating urged the Postal Regulatory Commission to preserve the universal service obligation and the postal monopoly. Keating called upon the Commission to affirm the well-established principle that all Americans, no matter where they live, are entitled to secure, efficient and affordable postal service.
Several Postal Gems Worth Reading ...
Why Did the Post Office Throw the Clock Out the Window?
Over the past two years, as part of a program to modernize and standardize the appearance of the nation's 37,000 post offices, the U.S. Postal Service has been quietly removing the clocks from customer waiting areas. Why?
The Customer Is At the Center
A new roadmap to 2013 lays out the Postal Service's strategic vision and commitment to embracing change, innovation and collaboration on an unprecedented scale, with the customer at the heart of everything that gets done. The proof will be in the pudding, as they say.
FSS: Still the Right Stuff?
The Flats Sequencing System initiative is currently the largest Postal Service mail automation investment, with 100 FSS machines to be deployed to 100 sites. In fact, USPS expects FSS to generate operational savings of between $593 million and $677 million annually, without the need for mail carriers to manually case flat mail. But an Office of Inspector General report < http://www.uspsoig.gov/foia_files/DA-AR-08-006.pdf > suggests that declining mail volumes are making it more difficult to test FSS operational assumptions and savings forecasts.
In the Spirit of "Openness"
In an “open letter” < http://www.apwu.org/dept/presvp/index.htm > to Postmaster General Jack Potter, APWU President William Burrus says the current USPS business model isn't working, that subcontracting, outsourcing, work-hour reductions, workshare discounts and an "unhealthy level of cooperation with major mailers and their agents" have led to the Postal Service's troubles. His prescription: evict the Mailers Technical Advisory Committee from L'Enfant Plaza.
... And Four Great Election Guides
For information about the candidates in all House and Senate races, check out this part of the NAPS website: http://naps.capwiz.com/election/home/
For the best coverage of the daily Presidential and Congressional polls: Pollster.com: http://www.pollster.com/
For the best election maps and analysis, go to CQ Politics: http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?parm1=2
And the daily political "must read" is found here: Real Clear Politics: http://www.realclearpolitics.com/
Bruce Moyer
Legislative Counsel to NAPS
According to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), enrollees with self-only coverage will pay, on average, $4.83 more each pay period (about $125 per year) next year. Family coverage will cost an average $11.12 more per pay period. FEHB enrollees pay - on average - 30 percent of the total cost of a plan's premium, while the government pays 70 percent.
Choose your preference to check your 2009 insurance rates: FFS: Fee For Service Plans | HMO: Health Management Organizations
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