USPS supervisor steals over $300,000 in checks and collectibles

In February 2025, Joivian Tjuana Hayes, a 36-year-old supervisor for the United States Postal Service (USPS) in California, faced legal repercussions for stealing significant sums from the mail. Over her tenure at the Costa Mesa Post Office, she was accused of taking not only checks valued at around $284,000 but also additional items, including gold coins and a Confederate $10 bill, totaling approximately $40,000. These fraudulent activities came to light during an investigation that revealed Hayes deposited stolen checks into her own accounts by forging signatures. The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California outlined the charges against Hayes, including theft of mail matter by a postal employee, as well as unlawful transfer, possession, and use of means of identification. Given her crimes, she faces up to 20 years in federal prison, comprising five years for the theft count and 15 years for the unlawful transfer in a sentencing hearing scheduled for May 2025. This incident reflects not just an isolated case but a pattern of thefts within the postal service, as there have been other similar cases involving postal workers stealing from the mail. One notable case occurred in Connecticut, where an employee was sentenced after stealing cash and gift cards, carefully resealing envelopes before returning them to circulation. In another incident, a mail sorting clerk was guilty of stealing about $100,000 worth of memorabilia in New Jersey. As these cases demonstrate, internal security and oversight within postal services are critical in preventing employee theft and protecting valuable mail items. Investigators discovered many of the stolen items after searching Hayes' residence in January 2025. The U.S. Postal Service has implemented measures to prevent such thefts, including best practice guides for employees. These measures advocate for diligent handling of registered mail, which requires signatures upon delivery, and highlight the importance of preventing mail from being unattended in areas where it can be easily accessed. The repercussions of Hayes' actions not only emphasize the need for vigilance in postal operations but also showcase the severe implications of breaches of trust within public service roles. The U.S. Postal Service continues to encourage recipients to report missing mail to the Postal Inspector Service to assist them in identifying problem areas and holding those accountable for such crimes.