A shocking case of corruption within the U.S. Postal Service has come to light as Michael Morse, a 52-year-old U.S. Postal Inspector from Madisonville, Louisiana, was charged with mail theft, obstruction of justice, and money laundering.
The indictment, returned by a federal grand jury in the Eastern District of Louisiana, alleges that Morse stole a Priority Mail Express package from a U.S. Postal Service processing and distribution center on Nov. 12, 2020. The package, which contained cash and a GPS tracking device, was allegedly removed by Morse despite his duty to investigate and prevent mail-related crimes.
Further, Morse is accused of obstructing justice by attempting to mislead other law enforcement officers about the package and the GPS device. The indictment also alleges that Morse engaged in money laundering by depositing cash and pre-paid cards constituting proceeds of the mail theft into various cryptocurrency and precious metal accounts.
Morse faces one count of mail theft, one count of obstruction of justice, and nine counts of money laundering. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison on the mail theft count and 20 years in prison on the obstruction of justice and each of the money laundering counts.
The investigation is being led by the USPS Office of Inspector General’s (USPS-OIG) Special Inquiries Division, with assistance from the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. Trial Attorneys Trevor Wilmot and Jacob Steiner of the Public Integrity Section are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Mandatory Facts:
Defendant: Michael Morse, 52, of Madisonville, Louisiana
Criminal Charges: Mail Theft, Obstruction of Justice, and Money Laundering
City and State: Madisonville, Louisiana
Exact Date: Nov. 12, 2020
Sentence or Outcome: Currently pending trial
Related Federal Cases
- Mitch Landrieu, Money Laundering, Louisiana 2024 · Oklahoma
- Melanie Barber, Mail Fraud, Louisiana 2024 · Oklahoma
- Kevin Stimage, Theft from Programs Receiving Federal Funds, Louisiana 2021 · Oklahoma
- Pablo E. Paz, Conspiracy to Commit Theft of Government Funds, New O… · North Carolina
- Roy Austin, Wire Fraud Conspiracy, Louisiana 2024 · Wisconsin
Key Facts
- State: Louisiana
- Category: Public Corruption
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
ðŸâ€Â’ Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS
Public CorruptionPublic CorruptionPublic CorruptionPublic Corruption