STAFF REPORTS
news@allwnynews.com
BUFFALO — Richard D’Arcy, Jr., 37, of Lancaster, pleaded guilty to theft of mail by a postal employee before U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo. The charge carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Marie P. Grisanti, who is handling the case, stated that on Aug. 2, 2016, a U.S. Postal Service mail carrier discovered 52 pieces of mail, in delivery order, in a blue collection box on McKinley Parkway in Buffalo. It was determined that each of those pieces of mail were never delivered to Fisher Road (Route 53) in West Seneca. Some of the mail was postmarked July 30, 2016, and was supposed to be delivered on Aug. 1, 2016. The defendant delivered Route 53 on August 1, 2016. He also lived approximately a half of a mile from the blue mailbox in which the undelivered mail was discovered.
A review of the Global Positioning System (GPS) used to track the delivery of mail parcels showed that on Aug. 1, 2016, D’Arcy drove through the portion of Route 53 on Fisher Road where the mail was supposed to be delivered. A comparison of the GPS data from the day before and the day after showed the postal carrier made many more stops and took much longer to deliver the same portion of Fisher Road.
A subsequent search of the defendant’s car uncovered multiple bundles of undelivered advertisements, placards, and First Class mail. D’Arcy opened some of the mail and took the contents, which included solicitations from various veterans groups, children’s cancer foundations, and animal protection groups, which contained a $1 bill or other coin currency, seeking additional contributions from patrons.
Sentencing is scheduled for July 10.
