Orlando Post Office employee accused of stealing checks

ORLANDO, Fla. — A U.S. Postal Service employee from Orlando is accused of stealing mail that contained checks.

Investigators said the suspect took checks from envelopes and then gave them to another person to sell.

Channel 9 learned some of those checks turned out to be decoys.

Court records show the checks in question are from the U.S. Treasury and were possibly tax refunds.

A grand jury indicted Nequila McHayle and Demetric Simon this week on federal charges.

McHayle was a fill-in letter carrier in Orlando who repeatedly stole mail and removed checks, according to documents.

At least one check was worth roughly $4,300.

The records said McHayle then gave the checks to Simon, who sold them to other people.

Some of those checks were actually decoys, documents said.

The indictment said the alleged thefts happened for at least a year, if not longer.

The Office of Inspector General said the investigation is open and wouldn't say if anyone else will face charges.

Investigators said McHayle likely worked different routes in the Orlando area as a substitute carrier.

Prosecutors haven't said how many victims may be involved or how much the checks were worth.

The Postal Service won't say if McHayle was fired, but her last day was May 6, the most recent day she's accused of stealing.

Cox Media Group