Post Office Box photo by Elizabeth Kay on unsplash.com

Nathan Vaughn Southard, 34, of Visalia, pleaded guilty Monday to theft of mail by a postal service employee, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, Southard was an employee at the Tulare Main Post Office. On Oct. 19, 2023, Southard stole a parcel from the post office he believed contained marijuana and intended to sell it for a profit. Southard admitted that over the past seven years he had stolen parcels worth approximately $50,000.

U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, Western Pacific Area Field Office, Deputy Special Agent-in-Charge Christopher Paige said, “Narcotics and theft offenses committed by Postal Service personnel are completely unacceptable. The special agents for the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General are steadfast in their dedication to maintaining the integrity of the U.S. Postal Service.”

Southard is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 9 by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston. Southard faces a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

The case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey A. Spivak is prosecuting the case.