A postal worker in Florida is facing legal charges for reportedly throwing away election mail and absentee ballots in a wooded area.
A Florida man is under federal indictment for allegedly discarding more than 1,000 pieces of mail, including items related to elections, while serving as a contractor for the U.S. Postal Service (USPS).
An affidavit and criminal complaint submitted to the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida detail that Ottis McCoy, a USPS mail carrier, is accused of abandoning mail in a wooded area along his delivery route in Orlando. The situation was uncovered when a colleague observed McCoy returning prematurely with a significant amount of undelivered mail. An analysis of GPS data from McCoy's USPS vehicle indicated a diversion to a forested location instead of following his designated delivery route.
In response to the report, the USPS Inspection Service initiated an investigation, which included surveillance footage from a nearby resident showing McCoy's USPS van entering the wooded area. Images from this footage, included in the criminal complaint, depict a man believed to be McCoy discarding mail into the trees, with additional photographs revealing scattered mail, including a Florida absentee ballot concealed among the underbrush.
McCoy now faces charges of federal property misuse and mail theft, as tampering with mail is a serious federal crime, particularly when it involves election-related materials. Federal authorities are currently assessing the extent of the discarded mail to determine if further charges are necessary. This case underscores the critical need for safeguarding election materials and ensuring the integrity of USPS operations, especially in light of the national emphasis on mail reliability as the legal proceedings unfold.
Add comment
Comments