Derby Mail Carrier Pleads Guilty to Stealing Cards, Cash from Mail

WICHITA, KAN. — A mail carrier entrusted with delivering the public’s letters and packages instead ripped off their trust, stealing cash and gift cards from birthday and anniversary cards across rural Sedgwick County. Gary W. Yenzer, 34, of Derby, Kan., pleaded guilty today in federal court to one count of theft of U.S. mail, admitting he systematically looted personal correspondence for profit.

Between August and September 2016, Yenzer used his position as a U.S. Postal Service employee to rifle through mail, targeting cards stuffed with cash and gift cards. According to court documents, he didn’t just grab random items—he hunted for celebratory mail, knowing it was more likely to contain monetary gifts. Once he found them, he removed the cash and sold the gift cards for immediate payout.

Yenzer didn’t stop there. He avoided using the stolen gift cards himself, fearing digital footprints could lead investigators straight back to him. Instead, he laundered them through third parties, turning sentimental gifts into cold, untraceable cash. The scheme might have continued if investigators hadn’t begun tracing suspicious redemptions and narrowed in on the route Yenzer serviced.

U.S. Attorney Tom Beall, who announced the plea, called the betrayal of public trust “a direct violation of the oath postal workers take when they put on the uniform.” Yenzer’s access wasn’t just a job perk—it was a weapon he used against the community he was hired to serve, Beall said.

Sentencing is set for May 1. The government has agreed to recommend a sentence of one year and one day in federal prison, a term that could include additional supervised release and restitution. While the exact dollar amount stolen hasn’t been disclosed, prosecutors say the financial and emotional toll on victims runs deep.

The investigation was led by the U.S. Postal Service-Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Anderson is prosecuting the case. Beall praised both for dismantling a scheme that exploited the innocence of mailed celebrations and turned them into criminal opportunity.