COLUMBIA, S.C. (WSPA) – Members of the US Attorney’s Office observed National Postal Worker Day in South Carolina along with the US Postal Service, called a news conference Friday to recognize the men and women of the US Postal Service, including those with the USPS Inspection Service and the Office of Inspector General who investigate crimes related to mails.
“As we all know, the men and women of the U.S. Postal Service work rain, sleet or shine to ensure the U.S. mail system continues to function. Their work is critical and, as we have seen in our own district with the senseless murder of Irene Pressley, can also be dangerous,” U.S. Attorney Corey Ellis said. “I also want to thank our law enforcement partners within the USPS. These agents vigorously investigate crimes related to the mails – which include fraud, violence and drug crimes – and protect the people of South Carolina and throughout the country.”
Officials said in South Carolina, 6,798 postal employees from 415 postal facilities work hard every day to deliver letters and parcels to nearly every residence and business in South Carolina. This includes correspondence from loved ones, shipping orders, and important business documents.
“The U.S. Postal Service serves 163.1 million addresses in the country — covering every state, city and town,” said Tommy D. Coke, inspector in charge of the Atlanta Division. “The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is dedicated to enforcing the laws that defend the nation’s mail system from illegal and dangerous use, persevering the integrity of the U.S. Mail, and most importantly, providing a safe environment for Postal employees and the American Public. We value our law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in South Carolina for supporting our mission and all the employees of the U.S. Postal Service across the country.”
As the agencies who police this system, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigates crimes relating to the mail, while the USPS OIG focuses on internal USPS cases and fraud against USPS.
In September 2019, the U.S. Postal Service lost one of their own, 64-year-old Irene Pressley.
Pressley was murdered while delivering mail on her route near Andrews. Postal inspectors from South Carolina and all over the nation converged to Williamsburg County to investigate her murder.
The trial for the remaining defendants in that case is scheduled for October of this year.
According to officials, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the USPS’s law enforcement components have investigated and prosecuted numerous other crimes, including recent investigations leading to multiple arrests in armed robbery and burglary cases, the destruction of postal facilities, financial scams and major drug trafficking operations.