U. S. Attorney Sayler A. Fleming | U.S. Department of Justice
A former U.S. Postal Service letter carrier has admitted to stealing gift cards from the mail, according to court records. Joseph S. Wilkins, 56, entered a guilty plea in the U.S. District Court in Cape Girardeau for one count of embezzlement of mail by a postal employee.
Wilkins confessed to taking around 10 to 12 gift cards from customers' mail between December 2023 and April 2024. The cards were used for personal purchases totaling approximately $500.
The investigation began after a Christmas card containing two Amazon gift cards sent from California failed to reach its destination in Cape Girardeau. An inquiry by the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General found that Wilkins, who worked as a city carrier at the Cape Carrier Annex, had used the missing gift cards.
In an interview with investigators, Wilkins admitted he manipulated customer mail to locate any enclosed gift cards.
Wilkins is set to be sentenced on March 11, 2025. The charge could result in up to five years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Shelton.
