Mail carrier stole charity's donations

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CHICAGO, Aug. 16 (UPI) -- A former U.S. Postal Service carrier in the Chicago area pleaded guilty Thursday to stealing nearly 30,000 pieces of mail intended for charity.

The mail contained $275,000 in donations, the U.S. Justice Department said.

The former carrier, Frederick L. Taylor, 41, admitted that by August 2011 he had at least 29,403 donation envelopes in his home in Chicago that contained cash, checks, credit card payments and money orders intended for Charity A. Taylor's route was in suburban Berwyn, Ill.

Taylor could have faced up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine, but under the terms of a written plea agreement, "the government anticipates" a U.S. sentencing guidelines range of 46 to 57 months in prison, the department said. Taylor is allowed to argue for an advisory guideline range of 6 to 12 months.

The department said approximately between August 2010 and Aug. 8, 2011, Taylor stole mail addressed to Charity A, sometimes opening the mail in his postal vehicle or just not delivering the donations.

Taylor was discovered when investigators on Aug. 11, 2011, found he had several pieces of first class mail containing approximately $100 in cash intended for Charity A, and at least 30 donation envelopes intended for delivery that day.

On the same day, investigators found about 29,400 donation envelopes in his home, containing approximately $17,741 in cash, $250,346 in checks, $6,143 in credit card payments and $1,681 in money orders, all donations intended for Charity A.