A New Orleans postal worker, Keith Toney, has been indicted on charges of accepting bribes as a public official, according to Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson. Toney, aged 43, is accused of taking bribes in exchange for influencing his official duties, which violates federal law 18 U.S.C. § 201(b)(2).
Toney, who worked as a mail carrier for the United States Postal Service, allegedly accepted monetary payments to facilitate the shipment of drug-filled parcels. The indictment claims he coordinated with a drug distributor to arrange delivery and personally handed over the parcels. These activities reportedly began before November 21, 2022, and continued until around June 22, 2023.
If convicted, Toney could face up to 15 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, three years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson emphasized that the indictment is merely an accusation and that Toney's guilt must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
The investigation is being carried out by the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General and Homeland Security Investigations, with Assistant United States Attorney Rachal Cassagne of the Narcotics Unit handling the prosecution.