Postal worker sentenced for stealing gift cards from mail

CLEVELAND, Ohio — He was supposed to deliver the mail, not take it.

But Sonte Gibbons, a letter carrier working outside Cleveland, didn’t put the gift cards and envelopes in the mailboxes he filled, instead, prosecutors said he put them in his pocket.

And it wasn't just one time that Gibbons was accused of taking gift cards that were sent through the mail. More postal customers complained that mail entrusted to Gibbons for delivery never got to the addressed destination, WKBN reported.

It all started in April 2017. Gibbons was supposed to deliver a letter that had a $10 gift card enclosed. It was never delivered, but prosecutors said Gibbons, while wearing his work uniform, used that gift card three days after it was supposed to land in a mailbox, WKBN reported.

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Once other customers reported that they were also expecting money in the mail that never showed up, agents created 10 greeting cards, each with gift cards in them. All 10 were routed to Gibbons route and he would be assigned to deliver them. Seven of the 10 cards never made it, court documents showed, WEWS reported.

Gibbons was sentenced this week to six months in jail for taking the mail after pleading guilty to theft of mail by a postal employee, WEWS reported.

U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General Special Agent in Charge  Kenneth Cleeveley said, "Gibbons decided to forfeit pay, benefits, retirement and freedom for what amounted to a few dollars," The News-Herald reported.

Cox Media Group