COLUMBUS, Ohio – A former United States Postal Carrier was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 24 months in prison for stealing mail parcels that contained narcotics and then selling those narcotics in his neighborhood.
Ricky Lee Harris Germany, 33, of Columbus, pleaded guilty in September 2019 to one count of conspiring to possess with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of methamphetamine and a detectable amount of marijuana.
According to court documents, Germany had been employed as a city postal carrier at the United States Postal Service’s Oakland Park Station in Columbus from 2013 until 2018.
In September 2018, investigators received information that Germany had stolen mail parcels containing marijuana while employed as a postal carrier. According to a complainant, Harris Germany stole more than 100 pounds of marijuana over the course of six months. The complainant stated Harris Germany would look for large parcels from California, Texas and Arizona and would check the packages on his lunch break to see if they contained drugs.
The investigation revealed Germany intercepted mail parcels on multiple occasions from delivery routes other than his assigned route. During a search of his residence, investigators discovered opened packages containing marijuana, THC oil and methamphetamine.
Germany admitted to stealing mail coming from out of state and selling stolen narcotics to people in his neighborhood.
Kenneth Cleevely, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General (USPS-OIG) Eastern Area Field Office, stated: “Postal employees are paid to deliver the mail, not steal from it and sell drugs in our community. When employees like Germany choose to use their position to go into the drug dealing business, Special Agents with the USPS OIG will work with our law enforcement partners to arrest them and put them in federal prison. To report crimes committed by postal employees, or to report drug dealers using the postal system, contact us at www.uspsoig.gov or 888-USPS-OIG.”
David M. DeVillers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Special Agent in Charge Cleevely announced the sentence imposed by Chief U.S. District Court Judge Algenon L. Marbley. Congress sets the maximum statutory sentence. Sentencing of the defendant is determined by the Court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
