Leah B. Foley United States Attorney for the District of Massachusetts | Department of Justice
A federal grand jury has indicted a former U.S. Postal Service employee on charges of stealing prescription medications from mail intended for customers along his delivery route.
Michael Vernon, 52, of Somerville, Massachusetts, faces one count of theft of mail by an officer or employee. Authorities arrested Vernon and scheduled his initial appearance in federal court in Boston for the afternoon.
According to court documents, Vernon worked as a USPS mail carrier in Waltham from June 2022 through January 2024. During this period, he allegedly used his position to open packages and take bottles of prescription drugs meant for customers on his route.
If convicted, Vernon could face up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine reaching $250,000. Sentencing would be determined by a federal district court judge according to the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and relevant statutes.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Matthew Modafferi, Special Agent in Charge at the United States Postal Service Office of the Inspector General’s Northeast Area Field Office, announced the indictment. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam W. Deitch from the Public Corruption & Special Prosecutions Unit is handling prosecution.
“The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.”
