After investigators arranged a successful sting to catch a New Orleans-area U.S. Post Office letter carrier stealing money and gift cards from mail she had opened, they found 54 pieces of rifled-through mail stashed in her personal vehicle, federal court records show.
Investigators were tipped to the repeated theft after customers complained about delivery of their mail, according to a “factual basis” document filed in federal court. The investigation found Duplessis, who when confronted by authorities admitted to the theft, stole mail containing gift cards and cash that was intended for delivery between October 2017 and June 2018.
Early in the investigation, the Office of Inspector General for the U.S. Postal Service mailed a “piece of test mail” with a $15 Target gift card to a cooperating postal customer, in area code 70118, the document states. It was not delivered. Authorities then confirmed Duplessis used the same Target gift card last March at the Target on Clearview Parkway in Metairie. Surveillance video from the store shows her leaving the store after using the card, prosecutors say. More at NOLA.com
Read original charges from the Dept. of Justice below:
NEW ORLEANS – 2/25/19 – United States Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that COURTNEY C. DUPLESSIS (“DUPLESSIS”), age 30, of New Orleans, Louisiana, entered a plea of guilty on Thursday, February 21, 2019 to Theft of Mail, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1709.
According to court records, DUPLESSIS was employed by the United States Postal Service as a Letter Carrier originally assigned to the Carrolton Station Post Office and then to the Elmwood Station Post Office. After an investigation by the Office of Inspector General for the U.S. Postal Service, it was determined that on various dates from October 2017 to June 2018, DUPLESSIS stole several pieces of mail containing gift cards and cash. On June 19, 2018, special agents with U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General (“USPS-OIG”) determined DUPLESSIS opened an envelope and removed cash from the envelope. The USPS-OIG agents confronted DUPLESSIS and advised her of her Miranda rights. During an interview, DUPLESSIS admitted to opening several articles of mail and removing cash and gift cards. Agents discovered an additional 54 articles of mail during a subsequent search of DUPLESSIS’s personal vehicle.
DUPLESSIS faces a maximum penalty of five (5) years imprisonment, a $100.00 special assessment fee and/or a fine of $250,000 or the greater of twice the gross gain to the defendant or twice the gross loss to any person under Title 18, United States Code, Section 3571. Sentencing is scheduled for May 2, 2019 at 2:00pm.
U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser praised the work of the USPS-OIG. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant U. S. Attorney Brian M. Klebba, Supervisor of the Financial Crimes Unit.