Johnstown Postal Worker Copped $147 from Mail: Cops

Johnstown postal worker Ashlee R. Lodolinski, 28, is locked up and facing federal time after being caught red-handed stealing cash from the U.S. mail. The United States Attorney’s Office confirmed today that a federal grand jury in Johnstown handed down an indictment charging Lodolinski with theft of mail matter by a postal employee — a crime that reeks of betrayal from someone sworn to protect the mail.

Lodolinski, a resident of Johnstown, Pa., allegedly ripped off $147 from 53 separate pieces of mail on June 24, 2015, while working as a United States Postal Service employee. The money was intended for delivery through official postal channels, but instead, it ended up in her pockets. The theft came to light after a meticulous probe by the Postal Service’s Office of Inspector General, which specializes in tracking down crooked postal workers.

The indictment lays bare the mechanics of the crime: Lodolinski used her position of trust to unlawfully remove cash from envelopes and packages moving through the system. Each stolen dollar was someone’s bill payment, child support, or hard-earned check. Now, she’s staring down a federal rap sheet that carries a maximum sentence of 5 years behind bars, a $250,000 fine, or both.

Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the final sentence will hinge on the severity of the crime and whether Lodolinski has a prior criminal record. Prosecutors aren’t saying if this was a one-time score or part of a longer pattern — but the feds don’t bring charges like this without solid evidence.

Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie L. Haines is handling the prosecution, pushing the case forward on behalf of the government. The U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General led the investigation, following paper trails, surveillance, and internal audits to nail down the thefts to Lodolinski’s shift and route.

An indictment is not a conviction — Lodolinski is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. But in the gritty world of postal crime, where trust is the only currency that matters, the damage may already be done. The case is now set for arraignment, and the feds are moving fast.