Former Postal Worker

 Pleads Guilty To Mail Theft

By Andrew Gorosko

BRIDGEPORT —  A Waterbury man pleaded guilty in US District Court on March 26 to one count of theft of mail by a postal employee in connection with his former work as a senior mail carrier in Newtown.

Jorge Colon, 54, pleaded guilty to the charge in court before Judge Janet C. Hall, according to a statement from Nora Dannehy, the Acting US Attorney for Connecticut.

According to documents filed with the court and statements made in court, Colon, while working for the United States Postal Service in Newtown, committed the crime.

From October 15, 2008, to November 17, 2008, a video surveillance camera was positioned in Colon’s postal delivery vehicle.

The video surveillance revealed Colon examining and opening a number of pieces of mail that did not belong to him, according to Ms Dannehy.

In pleading guilty to the charge, Colon admitted that on November 17, 2008, he opened a letter and removed its contents, which included a greeting card and a gift card for the Target department stores.

Judge Hall has scheduled Colon’s sentencing for June 15. Colon faces a maximum term of imprisonment of five years and a fine of up to $250,000.

The case was investigated by the USPS’s office of the inspector general and by the Newtown Police Department.

Federal officials arrested Colon on an indictment on February 6. A grand jury issued that indictment on February 3.

The indictment listed two counts of mail theft by a postal worker. The indictment alleges that on October 30, and on November 17, 2008, Colon, while working as a mail carrier for the postal service in Newtown, opened mail and removed its contents.

The first piece of mail contained some cash, and the second piece contained a gift card for Target department stores, according to a statement from the US attorney.

The criminal case against Colon is being prosecuted by Assistant US Attorney Sarah P. Karwan.