Rebecca C. Lutzko United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio | U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio
Marcus Gaines, a 34-year-old former postal worker from Toledo, Ohio, has admitted to his involvement in a drug trafficking operation that utilized the U.S. Postal Service for distributing illegal substances.
Court documents reveal that in June 2024, the USPS intercepted a package suspected of containing drugs. A federal search warrant allowed inspectors to open the parcel, leading to the discovery of approximately 2.2 pounds of powder cocaine and 1 pound of heroin mixed with fentanyl.
Gaines was employed as a letter carrier when the package was seized. Investigators discovered that the delivery address for the narcotics was on his mail route. The parcel was repackaged with a fake substance and returned to the mail stream. Gaines collected it and met with a co-conspirator at a predetermined location along his route for an exchange.
Federal agents found that Gaines received $500 per narcotic-laden package delivered. These deliveries occurred at locations chosen by the co-conspirator within Gaines's delivery area. Gaines identified parcels with fictitious names and delivered them to the co-conspirator instead of their listed addresses.
On July 10, 2025, Gaines pleaded guilty to charges including conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and attempted possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. He could face up to 20 years in prison and fines reaching $1 million. Sentencing is set for October 30, 2025. The co-conspirator also faces related charges.
The investigation involved the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Frank H. Spryszak for the Northern District of Ohio.
USPIS is responsible for enforcing laws related to postal services. To report mail-related crimes, contact USPIS at 1-877-876-2455 or visit uspis.gov/report.
