CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA - A federal grand jury returned indictments today charging Ceressa B. Patterson, 29, of Fairview, West Virginia, and Rose Munro, 53, of Wana, West Virginia, with stealing funds from the United States Postal Service, United States Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld, II, announced.
Patterson, formerly employed at the Pentress, West Virginia Post Office, and Munro, formerly employed at the Wana, West Virginia Post Office, are each alleged to have embezzled nearly $2,000 from their respective post offices by taking proceeds from the sale of money orders, stamps, and postage meter transactions for their own personal use.
Patterson and Munro are each charged with one count of “Misappropriation of Postal Funds." They each face up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. The United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General is leading the investigations.
The federal grand jury also returned an indictment alleging that John Michael Keeney, 35, of Webster Springs, West Virginia, stole blank money order forms from a post office in Cowen, West Virginia. He is charged with one count of “Theft of Postal Money Orders." He faces up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. The United States Postal Inspection Service is leading the investigation.
Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendants.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Montoro is prosecuting Patterson and Munro and Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Cogar is prosecuting Keeney on behalf of the government.
An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
