Congress Lepou, Mail Theft Conspiracy, AK 2015-2017

Former Ravn Alaska supervisor Congress Lepou, 30, of Anchorage, has been sentenced to 12 months in federal prison for masterminding a brazen mail theft conspiracy that looted 60 Apple computers and more than $100,000 worth of phones and tobacco products from the U.S. mail. The thefts, which spanned from March 2015 to April 2017, targeted supplies bound for rural Alaska villages, gutting school districts and small rural stores.

Lepou was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Sharon L. Gleason, who ordered the 12-month prison term followed by three years of supervised release. He was also hit with $199,143 in restitution. In December 2018, Lepou pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy, one count of mail theft, and one count of possession of stolen mail. His co-defendant, Breadoflife Faiupu, faces separate prosecution.

Court documents reveal Lepou used his authority as a supervisor to orchestrate the thefts, exploiting Ravn Alaska’s logistics by diverting a company truck meant for transporting U.S. Postal Service mail. Instead of delivering the cargo to airplanes bound for remote villages, Lepou and Faiupu rerouted stolen goods to the employee parking lot, where they loaded them into personal vehicles. The stolen Apple computers were intended for village schools—educational tools ripped from students’ hands for profit.

Lepou and Faiupu recruited four ramp agents—Hubert Barte, Paulo Maae, Rogelio Daquis, and former employee Harold Velicaria—to help sell the stolen electronics. The conspirators then split the proceeds, using kickbacks to buy silence from subordinates. The total value of the stolen computers alone reached $90,000. On top of that, Lepou pilfered over $100,000 in phones and tobacco products meant for rural retail outlets.

Judge Gleason emphasized the devastating impact of the crimes during sentencing, noting that the thefts didn’t just rob the U.S. mail—they robbed entire communities. Rural schools lost vital technology, and small stores were deprived of inventory in areas where supply chains are already fragile. Lepou’s abuse of trust as a supervisor turned a public service into a criminal enterprise.

The investigation was led by the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General (USPS-OIG) with support from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS). The Alaska State Trooper Technical Crimes Unit provided critical assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aunnie Steward prosecuted the case, ensuring accountability for a scheme that exploited Alaska’s most isolated communities.