Two U.S. Postal Service employees are accused of stealing over $1 million worth of business checks from the mail in a scheme that lasted over a year, according to federal prosecutors.
The federal indictment outlines how three men are facing charges, two of which were USPS employees.
It states Darnelle Concepcion was a city carrier at the Deep Creek Post Office located in Chesapeake and Quasheda Jones was a carrier in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
Prosecutors allege for a year, starting in November of 2022, they obtained hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of stolen checks with a "face value of well in excess of $1 million dollars."
Watch previous coverage: Norfolk postal employee accused of stealing mail
Prosecutors allege they stole dozens of business checks.
It states they then allegedly gave the stolen checks to Devon Drumgoole.
Records outline how "account mules" would be used, which they define as those whose names are used on accounts to deposit the stolen checks.
The Office of the Inspector General investigates when employees are accused of stealing mail.
Watch previous coverage: Chesapeake mailman admits to stealing mail on his route
Leaders say it's a small number of employees who get in trouble for this, but say the number of cases continues to grow.
The OIG reported that there were 1,216 internal mail theft closed cases in 2020, and by 2023, there were 1,790 cases.
“Criminals are infiltrating the postal service to further their narcotics business and to commit financial fraud,” said Frank Albergo, the National President of the Postal Police Officers Association. He believes some people are trying to get hired by the postal service to commit fraud.
“They're not getting a job because they want to deliver mail or they want to sort mail. They're getting a job to steal mail,” said Albergo.
The Semi-Annual Report for Congress from the Inspector General of the United States Postal Service stated that they “continue to have a big focus on both narcotics in the mail and mail theft by postal employees. There has always been a small handful of postal employees who turn to crime, but recently there has been a growing threat and that criminal organizations are targeting, recruiting, and colluding with postal employees to move narcotics through the postal network and to steal checks — both personal and government-issued checks — credit cards, and other valuables from the mail.”
“Criminal organizations are recruiting postal workers to infiltrate the postal service. That should be shocking to everyone,” said Albergo.
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Leaders with the U.S. Postal Service say they’re working to make changes to increase security, use technology to more effectively and enhance the delivery network systems.
The OIG recommends increasing training, creating a nationwide policy for employees bringing personal belongings and increasing the use of security cameras.
We reached out to the lawyers representing the three defendants.
Attorney Andrew Sacks issued the following statement on behalf of his client Devon Drumgoole: “Devon is a very young, charismatic, and bright individual with a promising future ahead of him. The charges are unfortunate, and I am actively reviewing and assessing them. Regardless of what is alleged, our justice system entitles Devon, like anyone, both to the presumption of innocence at this point, and to a vigorous, aggressive defense which I absolutely intend to give him.”
Attorney Keith Kimball, representing Quasheda Jones, said, “I am not able to comment or make a statement at this time.”
All three defendants are expected back in court on January 7.
