SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – 9/22/26 – An indictment was unsealed today charging a former postman with the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) with unlawful secretion, destruction, and delay of mail after he allegedly unlawfully threw away mail that he was entrusted to deliver – including approximately 300 mail-in ballots to registered voters in Utah.

Damon Matai Seei, 34, of Payson, Utah, was indicted by a federal grand jury on Sept. 16, 2026. He was arrested and appeared for his arraignment at the Orrin G. Hatch U.S. Courthouse this afternoon.

“When American voters lawfully cast their vote, they should feel confident that it is counted,” said Acting Deputy Attorney General Trent McCotter. “Allegedly throwing away hundreds of ballots is a serious federal crime that undermines the integrity of our elections. Ballot integrity is not a partisan issue.”

“When the defendant allegedly threw away the mail he was entrusted to deliver, he also threw away the chance for those citizens to exercise their right to vote,” said U.S. Attorney Melissa Holyoak for the District of Utah. “Our office, along with our law enforcement partners, takes these offenses seriously and will continue to investigate them to ensure justice is served for anyone whose constitutional right to vote has been infringed.”

“Every eligible voter deserves confidence that our elections are lawful, secure, and fair. Homeland Security Investigations supports the integrity of the voting process by working closely with the Department of Justice, U.S. Attorney’s Offices, and our law enforcement partners to investigate alleged federal criminal violations that may undermine election integrity, including unlawful voting, fraudulent voter registration, false claims of U.S. citizenship, identity fraud, and document fraud,” said Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Acting Executive Associate Director John A. Condon. “HSI’s mission is to safeguard the homeland by conducting evidence-based, thorough, and impartial investigations. We will continue to follow the facts, uphold the rule of law, and refer criminal violations for prosecutorial review in order to protect the integrity of lawful voting.”

“Postal Service employees entrusted with delivering mail must uphold the highest standards of integrity,” said U.S. Postal Service Assistant Inspector General of Investigation Robert Kwalwasser. “Those who destroy mail intended for recipients will be held accountable for their criminal actions. Special agents with the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General remain steadfast in their commitment to protecting the integrity of Postal Service operations through thorough investigations and continued collaboration with the U.S. Attorney’s Office.”

According to court documents, on June 3, 2026, Seei was working for the U.S. Post Office as a letter carrier where he was entrusted with delivering mail to at least 300 Eagle Mountain, Utah, residents. Among the mail were advertisements and hundreds of mail-in ballots that were sent to Eagle Mountain residents to allow them to vote in a June 23, 2026, primary election. As alleged, Seei threw away some of the mail, which he had been entrusted to deliver, into a dumpster in a church parking lot.

Seei’s next court appearance is scheduled for November 30, 2026, at the Orrin G. Hatch United States Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.

The case was investigated jointly by The U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General (USPS-OIG) and HSI.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd C. Bouton for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.