New Jersey Postal Service Worker Arrested For Allegedly Dumping Mail, Including Election Ballots
KEARNY, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- A New Jersey postal worker is accused of dumping nearly 2,000 pieces of mail, including ballots and political flyers for the upcoming election.
Nicholas Beauchene started working as a U.S. Postal Service worker in July. Less than four months later, he has resigned after being accused of tossing 627 pieces of first-class mail, 99 general election ballots, 276 campaign flyers, and much more over the course of one week in Bergen and Essex counties.
The Simon family of West Orange, who live along the 26-year-old suspect's mail route, told CBS2's Christina Fan they are furious.
"Oh my goodness, and I know my next-door neighbor didn't get mail either. Yes, we were wondering what happened. We kept going out thinking was it going to come later and later It didn't come until yesterday," Judy Simon said.
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Investigators say Beauchene made the dumps between Sept. 28 and Oct. 2. The mail was destined for addresses in Orange and West Orange.
Investigators were tipped off when residents reported finding mounds of discarded mail while throwing out the trash.
Howard Dinger showed CBS2 the discovery he made in his North Arlington dumpster last Friday.
"To have that all go in the trash like that was, in my mind, really ridiculous," Dinger said.
Prosecutors say on those delivery dates, Beauchene was the only mail carrier assigned to deliver mail to the addresses on the recovered mail.
The letters have since been placed back into the mail stream for delivery.
Fan tried to reach Beauchene at his Kearny home Wednesday, but his family told her they had nothing to say and that "It's a family matter."
But those who had their mail tossed said otherwise.
"I couldn't believe it. I thought the security as far as the mail system and stuff like that was better than that," Julian Williams said.
Beauchene was arraigned in federal court on charges of delay of mail and obstruction of mail.
Prosecutors say after his arrest, he admitted to the accusations and they do not believe he had political motivations.
Beauchene faces five years in prison and a $250 fine if convicted.
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