A former U.S. Postal Service mail carrier in the Smyrna area was sentenced to federal prison for stealing mail containing checks and gift cards worth more than $1 million.
Melissa McAfee, 44, of Jonesboro, Georgia, has been sentenced to two years in prison, followed by two years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay restitution. McAfee pleaded guilty to possession of stolen mail on May 14, 2026.
According to U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg, the charges and other information presented in court: From August 2022 to September 2024, McAfee worked as a U.S. Postal Service mail carrier in the Smyrna, Georgia area.
The U.S. Postal Service - Office of Inspector General launched an investigation after receiving customer complaints about mail stolen along McAfee’s postal route. During the investigation, USPS-OIG obtained surveillance footage of McAfee stealing mail on her route.
Additional investigation determined that she stole mail containing 171 checks, totaling more than $1,035,000. USPS-OIG agents executed a search warrant at McAfee’s home, where they discovered envelopes for stolen mail, 145 stolen checks, and 37 stolen gift cards.
When confronted by USPS-OIG agents in September 2024, McAfee resigned from the Postal Service.
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