Massillon Post Office Operations Manager convicted for stealing from, delaying US Mail

CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) - A Massillon Post Office Operations Manager was convicted in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio for delaying and stealing U.S. Mail as a postal service employee, according to a press release from the U.S. Department of Justice.

The United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General (USPS OIG) caught a West Area Post Office Operation Manager, 54-year-old Bruce Murdock, Jr. from Massillon, removing packages from mail streams prior to them being scanned and marked as delivered to the Massillon Post Office, the release said. The packages would be marked ‘Lost’ as a result of Murdock’s actions.

Officials said federal authorities saw Murdock remove packages from the mail stream every day before bringing the stolen items to his office where he had repackaging supplies.

Murdock would then put some of the repackaged items back onto the mail stream while not returning some of the items to the stream at all, the release said.

Authorities were unable to determine the total loss amount, nor the total number of victims impacted by Murdock’s actions due to Murdock’s position and access to the mail before it was scanned, the release said.

Murdock pleaded guilty on Oct. 4 to delay or destruction of mail and theft of mail by a postal service employee, the release said. Murdock was sentenced to six months in prison and was ordered to pay $8,346.96 in restitution and a $20,000 fine by U.S. District Judge John Adams.

Adams said Murdock’s actions “cast aspersions” on postal employees around the country during the sentencing hearing.

This is a developing story. Return to 19 News for updates.

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