CLEVELAND (WJW) – The FOX 8 I-Team has found a local postal service manager just admitted to opening your mail and stealing from it.
The US Attorney’s Office in Cleveland says a mail carrier is among 11 people just indicted as part of a ring to steal mail and cash in on stolen checks.
The new developments come in an investigation that has grown for months. We’ve reported on mail stolen all over Northeast Ohio often with checks altered and cashed to rip off big bucks from the bank accounts of innocent people.
Bruce Murdock, Jr. worked in Massillon as the West Area Post Office Operations Manager. In April, the I-Team revealed a federal investigation.
Now, court records show Murdock has pleaded guilty to a charge for opening or destroying mail and multiple charges for theft of mail by a postal employee. He will be sentenced in October.
Meanwhile, the US Attorney’s Office says the 11 people just indicted includes mail carrier Cameron Proctor.
“Defendant Proctor, a postal employee at the time, stole mail in his custody and sold it, along with mail collection box keys, to other members of the conspiracy,” a news release said. “After obtaining and altering checks from the stolen mail, it is alleged that the conspirators used Instagram to recruit other co-conspirators to use their bank accounts to cash the stolen, altered and forged checks. As a result of the scheme, the defendants caused an approximate loss of over $1.5 million.”
This comes weeks after the feds also indicted four other people for stealing mail and fancy cars.
In fact, one of the suspects in that earlier indictment had been seen on police video saying he had bought a key to get into mail collection boxes.
Named in the indictment just filed are Elijah S. Payne, 21, of Streetsboro; William D. Saunders, 21, of Cleveland Heights; Cameron J. Proctor, 20, of Willowick; Tavion L. Bolden, 22, of Cleveland; Rashawn J. Creer, 22, of Cleveland Heights; Maurice A. Mowler, 22, of Kent; Latrent M. Redrick, 25, of Cleveland, Janiya M. N. Smith, 22, of Richmond Heights; Lady M. Walker, 28, of Cleveland; Antoine R. Whitsett, 22, of Euclid and Tyrone Williams, 21, of Euclid.
The US Attorney’s Office says the defendants are each charged with one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud.
Defendant Payne is charged with additional counts of bank fraud and possession of stolen mail.
Defendant Proctor is also charged with an additional count of theft of mail by a postal employee.
The latest case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) with the Cleveland Police, Rocky River Police, Middleburg Heights Police, Seven Hills Police and the United States Postal Service Office of the Inspector General (USPIS OIG).