Mail Carrier Gets 15 Months in Check Scam

⏱ 2 min read

Andre Whitehurst, 34, a Charlotte-area mail carrier, will spend the next 15 months in federal prison after admitting to a brazen scheme to steal checks while on the job. Between April 2022 and September 2024, Whitehurst pilfered mail, passing the stolen checks to Rashad Lowery and Aaron Grice, who then cashed them using fake IDs. The crew attempted to rake in over $364,000.

Court documents detail how Whitehurst, as a U.S. Postal Service employee, swiped both incoming and outgoing checks. Lowery and Grice allegedly used the stolen checks to open bogus accounts and siphon the funds before banks flagged the activity. The operation highlights a classic betrayal of trust – a postal worker exploiting his position for personal gain.

Yesterday, Judge Matthew E. Orso handed down the 15-month sentence, stating he hoped it would deter others from similar crimes. Beyond prison time, Whitehurst has been ordered to forfeit $74,000 and pay restitution to the victims of the fraud. His co-conspirators, Lowery and Grice, have already pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing dates.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the district indicated that this case was a priority, signaling a crackdown on internal theft within the Postal Service. The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Postal Service Office of the Inspector General, a clear indication of the USPS’s focus on stamping out employee misconduct.