Former Postal Worker Colleen McAvoy Pleads Guilty to Mail Theft

Colleen McAvoy, a 54-year-old former letter carrier from Shushan, New York, has admitted to ripping off mailed packages for personal gain, stealing cash, gift cards, and lottery tickets while on the job in Washington County. The crime spree unfolded over two years while McAvoy served as a part-time employee at the Cambridge Post Office.

Between August 2018 and October 2020, McAvoy exploited her position with the United States Postal Service to intercept and open packages meant for delivery. Instead of safeguarding the mail, she systematically plundered contents, targeting items she could quickly convert into cash. In court, she confessed to stealing a total of $4,889.25 in valuables, a sum that federal investigators say underrepresents the full breach of public trust.

McAvoy pleaded guilty today to one count of mail theft, a federal offense that carries a maximum sentence of five years behind bars. Senior United States District Judge Lawrence E. Kahn will deliver her sentence on March 16, 2022. While the statutory maximum looms, actual prison time will hinge on federal sentencing guidelines, the nature of the offense, and McAvoy’s criminal history.

Alongside potential incarceration, McAvoy has agreed to pay full restitution to the victims of her thefts. The move is a small step toward accountability in a case that highlights vulnerabilities within the nation’s postal infrastructure and the betrayal of institutional trust.

The investigation was led by the United States Postal Service, Office of the Inspector General, with critical support from the Village of Cambridge Police Department. Their joint effort uncovered evidence of McAvoy’s thefts, including surveillance details and audit trails linking her to tampered mail.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Barnett is prosecuting the case. U.S. Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Matthew Modafferi, Special Agent in Charge of the USPS OIG’s Northeast Area, confirmed the plea announcement. The case serves as a stark reminder: even those tasked with protecting the mail can become predators within the system.