US Postal Supervisor Guilty of Stealing Checks and Currency
Joivian Tjuana Hayes, a 36-year-old Compton resident and former U.S. Postal Service supervisor, pleaded guilty to multiple counts of mail theft and unlawful use of identification, resulting in over $304,000 in losses to the postal service.
Timeline and Crimes
Hayes committed these offenses while working as a customer service supervisor at the Costa Mesa Post Office between early 2024 and December 2024. According to the plea agreement, she stole approximately $284,000 in checks and an additional $20,000 to $40,000 worth of other items.
Modus Operandi
Hayes’s scheme involved intercepting checks from the mail stream, depositing them into her personal bank accounts using mobile banking apps and ATMs, and often wearing a blue postal service logo shirt while committing these acts.
Extent of Theft
One of the most significant checks Hayes stole was worth $11,217.50, deposited the following day into her Bank of America account. Investigation revealed that the checks she deposited were not made out to her and were fraudulently negotiated.
Investigation and Confession
In December 2024, federal authorities interviewed Hayes, during which she admitted to stealing multiple checks from the Costa Mesa Post Office. Initially claiming to have taken only "return to sender" mail, she later confessed to stealing checks from incoming mail and Post Office boxes.
Further Evidence
A search of Hayes’ residence in December 2024 yielded multiple gold coins and bills that had been sent via registered mail.
Charges and Sentencing
Hayes pleaded guilty to one count of theft of mail matter by a postal service employee and one count of unlawful transfer, possession, and use of means of identification. She faces a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison for the theft count and 15 years for the unlawful transfer count.
Postal Service Losses
Prosecutors estimate that the intended loss from Hayes’s theft of mail is approximately $304,000 to $324,288, a substantial financial blow to the U.S. Postal Service.
Internal Investigation
The investigation into Hayes’s activities stemmed from reports of mail theft between July 16 and October 4, implicating an employee later identified as Hayes. Multiple reports alleged that checks and money orders sent through the mail were intercepted and deposited into an unauthorized bank account.
External Cooperation
Navy Federal Credit Union’s Global Security Investigations Department played a pivotal role in identifying Hayes’s fraudulent activity. They contacted the postal service in July 2024 to report that she had deposited suspicious checks into her personal accounts.
Impact on Recipients
Hayes’s actions not only caused financial losses to the postal service but also disrupted the delivery of important mail to intended recipients. One victim whose check was stolen confirmed that it never reached its destination and was instead deposited into Hayes’s savings account.
Sentencing Hearing
United States District Judge John W. Holcomb has scheduled a sentencing hearing for Hayes on May 23, where the full extent of her punishment will be determined.
