Postal worker accused of embezzling for 4 years

CHARLOTTE — A U.S. Post Office worker from Concord was charged with embezzling for years from items mailed by customers.

James Joseph Kresge “did and attempted to embezzle letters, postal cards, packages, bags and mail” over a 4-year period from 2011 to 2015, a federal indictment read.

Court documents don’t say specifically what Kresge is accused of taking.

In 2013, Kresge filed an Equal Employment Opportunity Commission complaint with the Postal Service and the complaint was later dismissed by a federal judge.

But the accusations made in the indictment hit at the heart of the Postal Service's credibility. 

"You think the post office, you think about the most honest business, and then you see this" customer James Parker said after looking at the indictment.

The charges raise legitimate questions about how safe valuables are when they are mailed, Tom Bartholomy, of the Better Business Bureau, said.

He suggests considering online bill paying and banking.

“People have to adapt because you don’t want to be victimized by this type of situation,” he said.

U.S. postal inspectors didn’t respond to requests for additional details in the case against Kresge or information about how often Postal Service employees have been accused of stealing from mail.

Kresge is scheduled to appear in federal court on Thursday.

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