Albany postal employee sentenced for stealing checks

ALBANY — Nathaniel M. Johnson, 57, a former postal employee, has been sentenced to serve more than two years in prison for stealing treasury checks, court officials say.

A special release from the office of Michael J Moore, United States attorney, states that Johnson was sentenced Thursday to serve 15 months in the Bureau of Prisons for theft of mail by a postal employee. The sentence was delivered by U.S. District Judge W. Louis Sands at the U.S. Courthouse in Albany, the release states.

According to the release, Johnson had entered a guilty plea to the charge on Oct. 4, 2013. As part of his plea agreement, the release states that Johnson admitted to opening and stealing U.S. mail, including U.S. Treasury checks, in April, 2013. Court officials state that 10 victims were identified as having experienced losses totaling more than $30,000.

“Unfortunately, Mr. Johnson cared more about enriching himself than serving the public and, in doing so, dishonored the many others whose dedication is legendary,” Moore said.

According to the release, the case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service and the United States Secret Service. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jim Crane.