Postal Worker Sentenced For Stealing Mail Instead Of Delivering It

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (CBS4)- Instead of delivering the mail, an Englewood letter carrier was stealing it. Randy Younger, 47, avoided prison and was sentenced by federal judge William Martinez to three-and-half-years probation including six months home detention.

It was a combination that provided trouble, Younger was both a mailman and a drug addict. He admitted stealing thousands of pieces of mail to get his hands on gift cards and cash to support his heroin habit.

As he entered Denver U.S. District Court, CBS4's Rick Sallinger asked, "Why did you steal that mail?"

"No comment, thank you," was Younger's reply.

At the Englewood Post Office, investigators using surveillance video found Younger stealing from the boxes where letters had been deposited for delivery by people with faith in the U.S. Postal Service.

Julie Brown was among those depositing letters into the boxes that had been hit by Younger.

"You expect your mail would be secure sending checks bills payments to get to their destination," said Brown.

Evidence included Younger using his own phone number to inquire of the balance on a stolen gift card. The investigators used one from Target they equipped with a transmitter as bait to catch their thief.

When Younger opened the envelope with it he was arrested. Inside his postal vehicle his lunch box was found containing $525 in cash that had been stolen.

His house in Littleton was searched and more than 7,000 pieces of mail were discovered. CBS4's Sallinger broke the news to some depositing mail.

Greg Sampier said, "As I'm sitting here it probably explains why I was getting a notice a while back."

Younger's voice quivered as he told the judge he was addicted to opioid painkillers before switching to heroin and smoking it. He apologized to all those who mail he had stolen.

The court was told even after being caught stealing mail and put on desk duty he managed to get ahold of mailbox keys and steal some more.

Younger has found a new job delivering for Amazon. Prosecutors questioned whether the new employer
should be informed about the crime he had committed.