South Hero Man Charged with Mail Theft, Attempted Mail Theft, and Possession of Stolen Mail

Rutland, Vermont – A federal grand jury returned an indictment against Kevin Manning, 42, of South Hero, Vermont, on March 12, 2026, charging him with three counts of mail theft/attempted mail theft and one count of possession of stolen mail.

On March 26, 2026, Manning entered a plea of not guilty during an arraignment before United States District Judge Mary Kay Lanthier. Chief United States District Judge Christina Reiss had previously ordered Manning be detained during the pendency of this matter.

According to court records, the case stems from an investigation into theft of mail from porches and mailboxes in and around Grand Isle County, Vermont. Residents of Grand Isle County began reporting to the Sheriff’s Office that packages had been stolen in mid-November 2025. Law enforcement executed a search warrant at Manning’s residence on December 24, 2025, and recovered multiple items that had been contained in the stolen mail packages.

Over an approximate three-month period from November 2025 to February 2026, it is alleged that Manning stole hundreds of mailed and shipped items worth thousands of dollars.

The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that an indictment contains allegations only, and Manning is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. If convicted, Manning faces up to 5 years of incarceration on each of the four counts with which he is charged.

The actual sentence will be determined by the District Court with guidance from the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines and the statutory sentencing factors.

First Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan A. Ophardt commended the investigatory efforts of the Grand Isle Sheriff’s Office and the United States Postal Inspection Service.

The prosecutor is Assistant United States Attorney Katherine Flynn. Manning is represented by Federal Public Defender Alejandro Fernandez.

Mandatory Facts: Defendant Kevin Manning, 42, of South Hero, Vermont, was charged with three counts of mail theft/attempted mail theft and one count of possession of stolen mail. The crime occurred in Rutland, Vermont, on various dates from November 2025 to February 2026. The sentence is up to 5 years of incarceration on each of the four counts if convicted.

MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS

White Collar Crime

George F. Estudante, Tax Evasion, Massachusetts 2018

Dec 19, 2017

White Collar Crime

Villanueva Noriega, Wire Fraud, Utah 2015

Jan 15, 2015

White Collar Crime

De Jesus-Portillo, Wire Fraud, Pennsylvania 2018

Jan 15, 2018

White Collar Crime

Dews Jr., Identity Theft, Virginia 1989

Jan 15, 1989