Postal carrier hoards 20,000 pieces of mail
Monday, August 31, 2009
Warren postal carrier accused of hoarding 20,000 pieces of mail
Paul Egan / The Detroit News
Warren -- Postal officials investigated a letter carrier suspected of shirking his duties and found more than 20,000 pieces of undelivered mail in his home, according to documents filed today in federal court.
James W. Stempnik Jr., 37, of Clinton Township is charged with stealing mail, a five-year felony.
"I have no comment," said Stempnik, who has yet to appear in court.
The U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General began investigating Stempnik on Aug. 7 after it received an anonymous tip from an employee who saw Stempnik put a tub of mail in his personal car, according to federal court documents.
The Warren post office had received complaints about undelivered mail along Stempnik's route in the 48091 ZIP code, according to an affidavit attached to a criminal complaint filed against Stempnik.
Investigators began to watch Stempnik and observed him putting more mail in his car, the affidavit said.
Later, investigators seized trays of mail found in Stempnik's kitchen and garage.
In all, they found 20,200 pieces of mail, including 8,820 pieces of first-class mail.
"While being sorted, agents found mail dating back to August of 2008," the affidavit said. "Included in the mail were U.S. Treasury checks, Social Security checks (and) utility bills, as well as court documents."
The mail has been delivered or is being delivered, officials said.
Breck Nowlin, deputy special agent in charge of the postal service's Office of Inspector General in Detroit, said Stempnik has not explained why he was hoarding the mail and there were no signs that he had opened any of it.
"It was neatly stacked in his house," Nowlin said. "That's unacceptable, what he did. He violated the trust of the postal service and its customers."
In January, former Howell letter carrier Jill Mary Hull pleaded guilty to storing close to 10,000 pieces of undelivered mail in a rented storage locker, rather than delivering it.
Warren postal carrier accused of hoarding 20,000 pieces of mail
Paul Egan / The Detroit News
Warren -- Postal officials investigated a letter carrier suspected of shirking his duties and found more than 20,000 pieces of undelivered mail in his home, according to documents filed today in federal court.
James W. Stempnik Jr., 37, of Clinton Township is charged with stealing mail, a five-year felony.
"I have no comment," said Stempnik, who has yet to appear in court.
The U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General began investigating Stempnik on Aug. 7 after it received an anonymous tip from an employee who saw Stempnik put a tub of mail in his personal car, according to federal court documents.
The Warren post office had received complaints about undelivered mail along Stempnik's route in the 48091 ZIP code, according to an affidavit attached to a criminal complaint filed against Stempnik.
Investigators began to watch Stempnik and observed him putting more mail in his car, the affidavit said.
Later, investigators seized trays of mail found in Stempnik's kitchen and garage.
In all, they found 20,200 pieces of mail, including 8,820 pieces of first-class mail.
"While being sorted, agents found mail dating back to August of 2008," the affidavit said. "Included in the mail were U.S. Treasury checks, Social Security checks (and) utility bills, as well as court documents."
The mail has been delivered or is being delivered, officials said.
Breck Nowlin, deputy special agent in charge of the postal service's Office of Inspector General in Detroit, said Stempnik has not explained why he was hoarding the mail and there were no signs that he had opened any of it.
"It was neatly stacked in his house," Nowlin said. "That's unacceptable, what he did. He violated the trust of the postal service and its customers."
In January, former Howell letter carrier Jill Mary Hull pleaded guilty to storing close to 10,000 pieces of undelivered mail in a rented storage locker, rather than delivering it.
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