On September 14, 2023, in the Northern District of Illinois, Olivia L. Bryant, a former U.S. Postal Service employee, pleaded guilty to mail theft from the U.S. Mail, that included government benefits checks intended for other individuals.

In 2020 and 2021, Bryant was a U.S. Postal Service employee at a processing and distribution center in Chicago. Bryant stole hundreds of pieces of mail containing financial checks. Some of the stolen mail contained government checks that were issued by the U.S. Treasury, including a U.S. Treasury check containing a tax refund, a U.S. Treasury check containing Social Security benefits, and government stimulus checks that were issued by the U.S. Treasury during the COVID-19 pandemic.  

At sentencing, Bryant could receive a maximum term of five years’ imprisonment, a fine of $250,000, and a term of supervised release of not more than three years. As part of the plea agreement, Bryant agreed to pay restitution in the amount of $10,199.30.

Source:  The facts in this case narrative come from the following publicly available documents: N.D. Ill., Indict., filed Mar. 29, 2022; N.D. Ill., Plea Agr., filed Sept. 14, 2023; and Department of Justice Press Release, dated Sept. 18, 2023.