A former employee of the U.S. Postal Service in Billings has admitted to charges of mail theft. Zachary Louis Simpson, 37, pleaded guilty to stealing mail after attempting to sell $850 worth of sports cards that were meant for another customer, according to U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich.
Simpson faces a potential sentence of up to five years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release. The case was overseen by U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan, with sentencing to be scheduled before U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters.
Court documents reveal that between March 27, 2023, and April 3, 2024, Simpson worked at the Billings postal facility where he had access to mail during his shifts. He allegedly stole packages from the facility and took them home. On March 12, 2024, the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General was alerted when a local sports memorabilia business reported that Simpson tried selling them sports cards which they had recently shipped out.
An investigation found that these packages passed through the Billings sorting facility on days when Simpson was working there. A search at his residence uncovered dozens of empty packages addressed to others and over 10,000 sports trading cards and memorabilia items.
The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office with an investigation led by the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General and supported by the Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force.
