A former U.S. Postal Service employee in Charlotte, North Carolina, has been sentenced to prison for orchestrating a $24 million check theft scheme, highlighting the vulnerability of mail services to insider threats.
At a Glance
- Nakedra Shannon, a former USPS clerk, sentenced to 60 months in prison for stealing checks worth over $24 million
- Two co-conspirators, Desiray Carter and Donell Gardner, each received 54-month sentences
- The stolen checks were sold on Telegram, including U.S. Treasury checks
- Defendants ordered to pay $113,333.87 in restitution
- Case investigated by multiple federal agencies and local police
Massive Mail Theft Scheme Uncovered
A former U.S. Postal Service mail processing clerk has been sentenced to 60 months in prison for her role in a brazen check theft scheme that targeted over $24 million worth of checks in Charlotte, North Carolina. Nakedra Shannon, who worked at a USPS distribution center from March 2021 to July 2023, conspired with two accomplices to pilfer both incoming and outgoing mail during a three-month period in 2023.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of North Carolina announced the sentencing, highlighting the severity of the crime. “U.S. Postal Service employee and a co-conspirator were sentenced to prison yesterday for a scheme involving stolen checks worth over $24 million,” U.S. Attorney Dena J. King said.
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Sophisticated Operation Exposed
Shannon’s co-conspirators, Desiray Carter and Donell Gardner, each received 54-month prison sentences for their part in the scheme. The trio’s operation was alarmingly sophisticated, involving the use of encrypted messaging platforms to sell the stolen checks.
“Shannon conspired with Gardner and Carter to steal incoming and outgoing checks from the U.S. mail, which Gardner and Carter then sold to other individuals, including using the Telegram channel OG Glass House,” a press release stated.
The scope of the theft was staggering. “The total includes over $12 million in stolen checks that were posted for sale on the Telegram channel OG Glass House, and more than $8 million in stolen U.S. Treasury checks,” the release added.
Legal Consequences and Restitution
All three defendants pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit financial institution fraud and theft of government property. In addition to their prison terms, Shannon and Carter will face two years of supervised release, while Gardner will be under supervision for three years post-incarceration.
The court ordered the conspirators to pay $113,333.87 in restitution, jointly and severally, reflecting a fraction of the total value of the stolen checks. This amount suggests that while the scheme was extensive, the actual financial damage may have been limited by swift law enforcement intervention.
