Former U.S. Postal Service mail carrier, Tracy Rumley, from El Cajon, was sentenced on August 11, 2023, to five years of probation and 200 hours of community service in federal court for stealing mail from customers on her postal route in the Santee area of San Diego, according to the U.S. Department of Justice, Southern District of California.
U.S. District Judge Janis L. Sammartino imposed the sentence, warning Rumley, “Stealing mail is not the way to go. You will be caught, and you will be prosecuted.” The shocking revelation of the scale of Rumley's thefts has jolted the Santee community, bringing to light the breach of trust by their very own mail carrier.
The incident came to light during the evening of November 21, 2022, when an off-duty San Diego Police detective observed a woman in a hooded sweatshirt opening a communal mailbox at his apartment complex in Santee, California, and removing multiple pieces of mail. The detective approached the woman, who then fled in a White Nissan. After determining that Rumley resided at the same address as the vehicle's registered owner, the detective referred the case to the U.S. Postal Service.
Rumley had been placed on administrative leave from her employment at the Santee Post Office earlier that month and was terminated by the Postal Service on December 12, 2022. With a search warrant secured, United States Postal Service Inspectors discovered more than 1,500 pieces of mail in Rumley's residence on December 21, 2022, including gift cards, credit cards, and even several Christmas presents. The stolen mail belonged to nearly 900 customers along her delivery route in Santee.
Inspectors also found the keys Rumley was given as a mail carrier to access mailboxes, hidden in a potted plant within her bedroom. In her plea agreement, Rumley admitted that, even after being placed on administrative leave, she kept those keys without authorization and used them to continue stealing mail even after her termination. The brazen act of betrayal caused an outcry among the residents of Santee, who could hardly believe their mail carrier would commit such a crime.
The government's sentencing papers included several statements from Rumley's victims, emphasizing the sense of betrayal they felt at the hands of their mail carrier. A child affected by the theft reportedly said, “I felt shocked because I got robbed by the mail lady.” In a similar vein, an adult victim commented, “She played us for idiots.”
“When customers entrust the U.S. Postal Service with their letters and packages, they expect each and every piece will be delivered to its final destination,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Andrew R. Haden.
Carroll Harris, Inspector in Charge of the Los Angeles Division, emphasized the U.S. Postal Inspection Service's commitment to safeguarding the integrity of the U.S. Mail and maintaining public trust in the Postal Service by holding those who commit theft accountable.
