A former employee of the United States Postal Service (USPS) has admitted guilt in a federal court in Boston for charges related to mail theft and government funds theft. Michael Murray, aged 37 from Lynn, entered a guilty plea for one count of theft of mail matter by an employee and one count of theft of government money. The sentencing is scheduled by U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin for February 3, 2026. Murray faced indictment by a federal grand jury in April 2024.
Murray's tenure as a USPS postal clerk spanned from September 2022 through July 2023 at the Beach Street Post Office in Revere and the Melrose Post Office. Between April 2023 and July 2023, he exploited his position to steal contents from hundreds of pieces of mail, which included gift cards, cash, and checks amounting to approximately $3,422. Additionally, during this period, Murray illicitly generated USPS money orders intended for postal customers for personal use totaling around $5,131.
The charge concerning mail theft by an employee carries a potential sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine reaching $250,000. Theft of government funds over $1,000 could result in up to ten years in prison with similar terms for supervised release and fines. Sentences are determined by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and relevant statutes governing criminal cases.
The announcement was made today by United States Attorney Leah B. Foley alongside Matthew Modafferi, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General's Northeast Area Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dustin Chao is leading the prosecution as Chief of the Public Corruption & Special Prosecutions Unit.