United States Attorney Tara K. McGrath | U.S. Department of Justice
Former U.S. Postal Service employee Dewayne Morris Sr. and his son, Dewayne Morris Jr., have been sentenced to seven years and 12.5 years in prison, respectively, for their involvement in a scheme that defrauded the postal service of $5.1 million through stolen money orders. The sentencing took place following a January 2024 trial where both were found guilty of conspiracy and bank fraud.
The jury determined that Morris Sr., while supervising a post office, stole postal money order forms which were then distributed by his son to accomplices. Eight other individuals involved in converting these money orders into cash have already been sentenced in the Southern District of California.
Testimonies from co-conspirators revealed that Morris Jr. provided them with counterfeit driver's licenses alongside the money orders to open bank accounts for depositing and quickly withdrawing funds. Evidence presented during the trial showed that Morris Jr. deposited over $2 million into his personal accounts and used the proceeds for luxury purchases including cars and vacations.
Additionally, Morris Jr. was convicted of witness tampering after sending threatening messages and attempting to influence a witness's testimony while on pretrial release.
U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath commented on the case saying, "These defendants ran a scheme that tricked banks into cashing millions in stolen postal orders to fund their extravagant greed." Matt Shields from the United States Postal Inspection Service emphasized that "greed and illegal activity will not be tolerated."
Christopher Paige from the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General highlighted the impact of such fraud schemes on both the economy and postal operations, noting the commitment to protecting against financial loss.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Olah prosecuted this case.
