Texas post office worker stole public funds by using fake refunds, feds say
A Texas resident admitted to embezzling almost $30,000 in public funds from her job at the post office, federal authorities said.
Tranese Nicole Mitchell, 35, pleaded guilty to four counts of theft of public money, prosecutors announced in a Dec. 13 news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Southern District of Texas.
Mitchell previously worked as a lead sales and service clerk for the United States Postal Service in Houston, the release said.
It was there that she fraudulently issued and cashed refunds from no-fee postal money orders that totaled $29,947.30, the release said. She cashed the money orders against her drawer at the post office.
Mitchell said she used the money “for her own benefit,” according to the release.
Mitchell began embezzling money with one “unauthorized USPS money order for $178.25 that she cashed on July 3, 2018, according to court documents.
She did this repeatedly over time, documents showed.
She is scheduled to be sentenced on April 11 and faces up to 10 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000.
Mitchell’s lawyer did not immediately respond to a request for comment from McClatchy News.
This story was originally published December 13, 2021 at 2:08 PM with the headline "Texas post office worker stole public funds by using fake refunds, feds say."
