“He had mishandled retail transactions at the window,” according to Special Agent Scott Balfour of the postal service’s Office of the Inspector General.
Hubbard was charged via bill of information for misappropriation of postal funds from 2008 until 2011, according to court records filed in Dayton’s U.S. District Court. He resigned in December 2011 and the case was turned over to prosecutors in 2012, Balfour said.
Hubbard, a sales and service associate, “knowingly converted to his own use money that came into his hands during the execution of his employment and service to the United Postal Service in a manner not authorized by law,” the bill of information alleged.
“It’s surprising, you know we don’t expect these kind of crimes to come up in a small town, but come to find over my years that anything can happen anywhere,” said James Daum, German Township resident. “I suppose it would be a crime of opportunity if you’re by yourself and no one’s looking, that’s when you test people’s ethics and some people I’m afraid are failing that.”
Hubbard’s initial court appearance has not yet been scheduled. He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison if he’s found guilty of embezzlement.
“I’m shocked, yeah it’s crazy that they would do that to such a small town and all these people,” said Germantown resident Mackensie Branham. “They’re so nice around here and its just rude to do.”
Last month in a case unrelated to Hubbard’s, former Dayton postal worker Terrence P. Young pleaded guilty to delay or destruction of mail. He will be sentenced in September.
Young admitted to stealing and using gift cards and having a stack of undelivered mail in his vehicle when he worked at a Dayton post office from 2010 until 2015, according to court documents.
In November, another Dayton postal worker — Mark E. McCurry — was sentenced to four years’ probation and ordered to pay $10,894.60 in restitution for stealing about a thousand Netflix DVDs in 2012.
In the Postal Service’s last half-year report to Congress from April 1 to Sept. 30, 2014, they reported 846 investigations of mail theft. Those led to 173 arrests, 129 indictments or bills of information, 186 convictions and 484 administrative actions.
If mail-carrier theft is suspected, residents can contact the United States Postal Service Office of the Inspector General at: www.uspsoig.gov or call (888) USPS-OIG.
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