A man pleaded guilty in federal court Thursday to mail theft while he was a U.S. Postal Service letter carrier and was sentenced to four years’ probation.
Joshua Copas, 38, of Cumberland, Wisconsin, stole 31 rebate checks worth a total of $4,547 from the Menards chain of home improvement stores.
In June 2022, a woman who was due to receive one of these checks, known as Menards. When it did not arrive in the mail, she inquired, and she was told that the check had already been spent.
The woman, who was not identified by the Justice Department, then called the Cumberland Police Department to report the check had been stolen.
An investigation of the theft found footage of Copas spending the check.
In addition to probation, Copas will have to repay the full amount stolen as restitution. He is no longer employed by the Postal Service.
• Brad Matthews can be reached at bmatthews@washingtontimes.com.
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