A U.S. mail carrier was sentenced this week to three months in jail for stealing packages containing more than 10 pounds of marijuana.
Thomas N. Schaefer, 43, previously pleaded guilty to one count of theft of mail, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
An investigation into Schaefer's activities started after his supervisor was assaulted by drug dealers looking for a package containing marijuana that Schaefer may have stolen.
Authorities said Schaefer stole a package addressed to a house in Cleveland that he suspected had marijuana in it on March 22, 2017. Inside the box was four pounds of marijuana.
A few months later Schaefer took another package he suspected contained drugs. The theft happened on Aug. 4, 2017. Inside was nearly seven pounds of the marijuana.
U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General Special Agent in Charge Kenneth Cleevely, Eastern Area Field Office released the following statement:
“The jail sentence in this case should send a message to those postal employees who decide to go into the drug dealing business for themselves by stealing drug parcels from the mail. When they are caught by Special Agents with the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General and Postal Inspectors, they lose their career, benefits, retirement, and, in this case, their freedom. They also put their fellow employees at risk."
