Tristen Stoker, Theft of Mail by a Postal Employee, Nebraska 2020

Omaha Man Convicted of Theft of Mail by a Postal Employee

Tristen Stoker, a 21-year-old resident of Omaha, Nebraska, has been sentenced in federal court for Theft of Mail by a Postal Employee. The case led to a shocking discovery of a large quantity of mail in Stoker's possession that had not been delivered.

On June 2, 2019, Stoker, a rural mail carrier with the United States Postal Service, was stopped by the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office for a traffic infraction in his vehicle. During the search, deputies found a backpack containing a large quantity of mail that was not addressed to Stoker. The mail was from his assigned route, an area where mail thefts had been reported.

When questioned, Stoker claimed he had the mail since he was a rural mail carrier and had not been able to deliver it on Saturday, June 1. He assured the deputies that he would be delivering it on Monday, June 3. However, the deputies noticed that some of the mail had been opened, revealing envelopes containing birthday cards, wedding invitations, or thank you cards with potential monetary value.

The search also uncovered four opened envelopes containing credit or debit cards and an envelope with a check. The discovery has raised concerns about the security of mail in the area.

United States Attorney Joe Kelly announced the sentencing, which took place on February 21, 2020. Tristen Stoker was sentenced to time served, with no parole available in the federal system. He will begin a 3-year term of supervised release.

This case was investigated by the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office and the United States Postal Service – Office of the Inspector General. The investigation has led to increased awareness about mail theft and the importance of mail security in the community.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ne/pr/omaha-man-convicted-theft-mail-postal-employee