Ohio postal worker stole packages he thought had drugs, feds say. He’s going to prison
A 31-year-old postal service manager has been sentenced for stealing packages that he suspected contained drugs, Ohio prosecutors said in a news release.
Anthony Sharp, a Euclid, Ohio resident, pleaded guilty in August to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, possession with the intent to distribute controlled substances, money laundering and mail theft.
He has been sentenced to 10 years in prison, the Dec. 30 release said.
United States Postal Service agents suspected Sharp, a Cleveland postal service manager, was profiling packages with intent to steal them and distribute drugs such as cocaine, fentanyl and methamphetamine in the summer of 2020, a criminal complaint said.
Sharp used his postal training to guess which express packages contained hard drugs such as cocaine, and sorted the mail incorrectly to attempt to steal the packages, according to the complaint.
Investigators followed Sharp on July 22, and observed him deliver other packages to the correct post office, and keep several packages suspected of containing drugs, the complaint said.
After pulling him over, investigators found the packages in Sharp’s car. Other packages were found, some empty and some unopened, in the back of his car.
While examining the confiscated packages, investigators determined that methamphetamine and cocaine were in them and Sharp had opened the packages to identify what was inside, the complaint said.
According to a sentencing memo written by Sharp’s lawyer Joseph P. Morse, Sharp said he intended on returning packages to the post office that did not contain marijuana.
Sharp had prior drug related offenses from 2018 when he was found with Oxycodone pills, and he completed a drug intervention program after pleading guilty. Morse said Sharp currently sells marijuana, according to the sentencing memo.
“Mr. Sharp readily admits that he made a terrible decision to steal post office boxes,” Morse said in the memo. “However, his criminal history and his successful drug program completion is consistent with his statements that he had no interest in selling or using any drug except for marijuana.”
This story was originally published December 30, 2021 at 6:03 PM with the headline "Ohio postal worker stole packages he thought had drugs, feds say. He’s going to prison."
