Postal Employees Among 5 Charged in Alleged $24 Million Check Theft Scheme

Five Houston residents, including three postal workers, have been charged by federal prosecutors for allegedly stealing about $24 million in checks from the U.S. mail.

Tryston Tremaine Vaughn, 28, is alleged to have recruited U.S. Postal Service (USPS) mail carriers to steal checks on their routes, the Department of Justice (DOJ) said in an Aug. 25 statement. These checks were allegedly bought from postal workers by Vaught and others, then resold through Telegram and shipped to buyers.

Three people involved in the case—Malcolm Tiree Joubert, 35; Catherine Clauzelle Kilpatrick, 29; and Drakkor Jamar Alexander, 34—worked as USPS mail carriers when Vaughn allegedly recruited them. The fifth indicted individual is Alyssa Nadine Bryant, 27.

The five individuals have been indicted on conspiracy to commit bank fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison. They could also be fined up to $1 million. The three mail carriers face an additional prison term of up to five years and a maximum fine of $250,000 for theft by a postal employee.

Kilpatrick made her appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Yvonne Y. Ho on Aug. 24. Vaughn, Joubert, and Bryant were scheduled to make an appearance on Tuesday. Alexander is not yet in custody.

The Epoch Times reached out to USPS for comment but did not receive any reply by publication time. The Epoch Times was unable to reach legal representatives for the five defendants.

In another case involving mail theft, Melissa McAfee, who formerly worked as a USPS carrier in Smyrna, Georgia, was sentenced to two years in federal prison this week for stealing mail containing checks and gift cards, the DOJ said in an Aug. 25 statement.

An investigation conducted by the U.S. Postal Service–Office of Inspector General (USPS–OIG) found surveillance footage showing McAfee stealing mail on her route. McAfee stole mail that contained 171 checks worth more than $1 million. Investigators also found 37 stolen gift cards from the defendant’s home.

The OIG published a report in October 2024 detailing internal mail theft occurring at USPS facilities. Between Oct. 1, 2019, and Sept 30, 2023, a total of 5,961 internal mail theft cases were closed nationwide, the OIG said.

One of the vulnerabilities identified at USPS mail processing centers was that the service allows employees to bring personal belongings into the workroom, enabling workers to conceal stolen packages and mail, according to the report.

“Additionally, Postal Inspection Service officials did not actively monitor the operational status of remotely accessible ISIP cameras that are used to monitor operations on the workroom floor,” the report said.

Rep. Josh Harder (D-Calif.) introduced the Mail Theft and Postal Key Crime Prevention Act of 2026 on Aug. 20. It seeks to “improve coordination and prosecution of organized mail theft and related fraud offenses,” according to the bill.

Under the legislation, the attorney general is required to designate an assistant U.S. attorney in each judicial district to serve as a mail theft coordinator. The coordinator will be tasked with supervising the investigation and prosecution of offenses such as theft of mail matter and postal keys or locks, as well as organized schemes involving mail theft and bank fraud.

The bill also directs the U.S. Sentencing Commission to review and amend guidelines applicable to relevant mail offenses. The measure has been referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.